Perez, 34 in April, is a soft-tossing veteran innings eater. He break up final yr between the Pirates and Padres, making 26 begins and logging 135 frames. He allowed 4.53 earned runs per 9 innings, hanging out 18.1% of batters confronted, issuing walks at an 8.3% clip and getting grounders on 44.4% of balls in play. He averaged 91.3 miles per hour together with his four-seam fastball.
These stats are fairly near his profession numbers. Courting again to his 2012 debut, he has thrown 1,575 2/3 innings with a 4.44 ERA, 16.2% strikeout fee, 8.3% stroll fee and 48.7% floor ball fee. His fastball velocity was naturally larger when he was youthful, however not by a lot. His highest four-seam velocity in a season was 94.2 mph, again in 2019.
He did finish the 2024 season on a excessive observe. He posted a 5.20 ERA with the Bucs earlier than being traded to the Padres on the deadline, then went on to permit 3.46 earned runs per 9 after the deal. His 20.3% strikeout fee after the commerce was a number of ticks larger than the 16.9% fee he had with Pittsburgh. He modified up his pitch combine a bit, throwing extra changeups and curveballs with the Friars, whereas decreasing his utilization of cutters and sliders.
That’s considerably encouraging however Perez has beforehand flashed higher outcomes with out sustaining them. He posted a 2.89 ERA over 32 begins for the Rangers in 2022, which prompted Texas to challenge him a $19.65M qualifying supply for 2023. The southpaw accepted that however then his ERA normalized to 4.45 that yr. As talked about, he held fairly regular in 2024, with a 4.53 ERA.
It’s not essentially the most thrilling profile however he’s a wise match for the South Aspect of Chicago. The White Sox had a poor rotation final yr and it’s in worse form now. They traded Erick Fedde to the Cardinals and the deadline after which flipped Garrett Crochet to the Crimson Sox final month. Chris Flexen reached free company at season’s finish. That implies that Jonathan Cannon is the one man nonetheless on the roster who made greater than 10 begins for the Sox final yr.
Perez has made no less than 26 appearances in 5 straight full seasons. in 2024, he went on the injured checklist as a result of a left groin muscle pressure however was again in lower than a month. That was his most important IL stint since 2018. Whereas no pitcher is assured to remain wholesome, Perez is probably one of many safer bets to take the ball when it’s his flip, even when the outcomes are extra satisfactory than excellent.
Given the uncertainty within the membership’s rotation, it’s a logical choose up. The Sox additionally added Bryse Wilson earlier this offseason, one other transfer designed to bolster a bunch missing in expertise. The ultimate three spots are up for grabs, with Cannon, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Drew Thorpe, Nick Nastrini, Jairo Iriarte, Jake Eder, Wikelman Gonzalez, Ky Bush and Juan Carela round to battle for alternatives. Prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith aren’t but on the roster however may push into the combination throughout the season.
Aside from Perez and Wilson, nobody in that cluster of rotation choices has even one yr of main league service time. The Sox can use Perez as a veteran anchor, no less than for a number of months. If he’s pitching nicely, he could possibly be flipped to a contending membership on the deadline, simply as he was final yr. That will then open up second-half begins for whichever younger pitcher has earned them.
