DALLAS -- Rangers left-hander Martin Perez said he will be ready for Opening Day, despite breaking the radial bone in his right elbow in December.
The initial prognosis was Perez might miss the first month of the season while recovering from an accident at his ranch in Venezuela. Perez said that is not the case.
"I am not going to miss any time," said Perez at the Rangers Awards Dinner on Friday night. "I have conviction I will be ready the first day."
So the big question is ...
"What happened?" Perez said. "I knew you guys were going to ask me that. I have horses and cows on my ranch. My guys were working with the cows and I was sitting on a fence. My brother said something and I looked back at him. Then I heard, 'Watch out!' and I turned and a bull was coming at me. I fell. I was trying to fall on my feet and I landed on my elbow."
The accident occurred on Dec. 11. Perez flew back to Texas and had an operation on Dec. 18. The Rangers announced at the time that Perez could be sidelined for four months.
But Perez has already started throwing and expects to be throwing off a mound by the end of the month.
"Right now I feel good," Perez said. "This week I have been working out [in Arlington] and it is feeling better every day. I will be ready to go."