Texas Rangers recall LHP Martin Perez from Round Rock; option LHP Joseph Ortiz to Round Rock

The Texas Rangers today announced that left-handed pitcher Martin Perez has been recalled from Triple-A Round Rock and will start Saturday's game in St. Louis.

To make room for Perez, LHP Joseph Ortiz has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.

Perez is 5-1 with a 1.75 ERA in 6 starts with the Express in 2013. His last start was a victory on June 17 at Oklahoma City (6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO). This will be his second start of the year with Texas as he was recalled to make a spot start in the opener of a split doubleheader on May 27 at Arizona, losing 5-3 (5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R-3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) before returning the Round Rock the next day.

Perez opened the year on the Rangers' 15-day disabled list with a fractured bone in his left forearm. He was sent on rehab assignment to Double-A Frisco on May 6, then reinstated from the DL and optioned to Frisco on May 12. Perez was 0-1, 11.05 in 2 starts at Frisco before being promoted to Round Rock on May 16. He is 1-5, 5.40 (26 ER/43.1 IP) in 13 games/7 starts in his ML career.

Ortiz is 2-1, 5.08 in 22 games over 2 stints with Texas this season. He has allowed one run in 2.0 innings in 2 games since being recalled from Round Rock on June 18.