Rangers lose Martin Perez, Matt Harrison to serious injuries

While most major league teams have been harshly bitten by the injury bug this season, the Texas Rangers look like the team that has gotten the worst of it. As first reported by FOXSports Southwest's Anthony Andro this afternoon, Rangers' starters Martin Perez and Matt Harrison are both expected to miss significant time with serious injuries.

Perez, who was diagnosed with elbow inflammation last week, has a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and is a candidate for Tommy John surgery. The 23-year old is considering sitting out 10-12 weeks while rehabbing the arm instead of undergoing the surgery, but most pitchers faced with the same decision elect to have immediate Tommy John surgery in order to not risk further damage by rushing a comeback.

Harrison, who has made only four starts this season, has a severe lower back injury that could require spinal fusion surgery, potentially putting his career in jeopardy. He also has the option of avoiding surgery, but would require a long rehab process that will put the rest of this season in doubt.

At this point, it is doubtful that either Perez or Harrison will pitch again for the Rangers this season, sidelining them along with starters Derek Holland, Tanner Scheppers and Joe Saunders. Texas will rely on a rotation of Yu Darvish, Colby Lewis, Nick Martinez, Nick Tepesch and Robbie Ross in the near future, with recent call-up Scott Baker as another candidate to join the rotation.

As of today, the Rangers are tied for third place in the AL West with a record of 20-20, which is not horrendous when you consider all of the pitching injuries in addition to injuries to Elvis Andrus, Jurickson Profar and Kevin Kouzmanoff so far this season. If they are still in contention as the summer rolls on, expect them to be in the hunt to acquire starting pitching on the trade market once again.