When it comes to free agent pitching, the Rangers are habitual offenders. They just can’t stop committing the same crimes.

Year after year after year they try to build a competitive rotation by robbing the Dollar Store. They attempted the same crime again for 2022.

Welcome, Martin Perez and Matt Moore.

After signing the steady but not spectacular Jon Gray to head up the rotation, the Rangers weren’t done yet. Gray, by the way, has a career 4.59 ERA. You are probably thinking, “Well he did pitch his home games in Coors Field.” His career home ERA is actually lower than his road ERA: 4.54 to 4.65. 

He lead baseball in earn runs allowed in 2018 with 98 while with Colorado. But he is certainly better than some of the suspect arms the Rangers have run out in the past.

You can’t say the same about Martin Perez.

Rangers fans had a parade for him when he finally left after the 2018 season. There was a collective, “Where are we going to find someone to replace his 6.22 ERA?” Not to worry, the Rangers front office did. 

Now, after going 7-8 with a 4.74 ERA for Boston, including a very generous WHIP of 1.509 due to his insistence on walking so many batters, Perez rejoins the Rangers, most likely as a starter.

Why?

Because, Rangers front office, that’s why.

They turned around after that and signed Matt Moore. Had this have happened April First, one would have naturally assumed it was a bad April Fool’s joke. Matt Moore’s 2018 season with the Rangers was a disaster: 3-8 with a 6.79 ERA. He suffered through twelve starts before clearer heads exiled him to the pen. He wasn’t much better for the Phillies last season, going 2-4 with a 6.29 ERA. Like Jon Gray, Matt Moore led the league in earn runs allowed in 2017, the year before the Rangers signed him, with 107.

Usually you bring back pitchers who had success for old time’s sake. A farewell tour. 

You bring back Matt Moore for what? To give the young guys a bit of hope? “Oh, if this guy can still get signed, how good do I really need to be?”

Nice motivational move. 

You can’t teach an old front office new tricks.