Perez preps for potential Opening Day start

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Martin Perez threw 102 pitches in a Minor League intrasquad game on Monday in his final outing in Arizona. His next start could come on Opening Day if Yu Darvish is not ready.

"I'm ready for the opportunity," Perez said. "I'll do my job and not put any pressure on myself. I know it's a different day and a lot of fans have high expectations. But when you're focused, you go in and do what you have to do."

Perez went six innings and allowed four runs on nine hits. He walked one and struck out three. He also said he made an adjustment in his delivery and the way he was standing on the mound. He said the adjustment helped.

"I wasn't comfortable with my mechanics," Perez said. "Today I was. I made a pretty good adjustment. Today I had good location on all my pitches and my fastball velocity is up. It's time to go."