The Indians and veteran left-handed reliever Oliver Perez have agreed to a new deal, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). It’s a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, tweets Tom Withers of the Associated Press. The 39-year-old Perez has spent the past three seasons in Cleveland. Perez is represented by the Boras Corporation.
Perez has had something of a late-30s renaissance in Cleveland, pitching to a combined 2.67 ERA and 3.22 SIERA in 91 innings since landing with the Indians back in 2018. His strikeout and walk rates trended in the wrong direction during last year’s shortened slate of games — likely a function of facing more right-handed batters than left-handed batters in a season for the first time since 2014. The three-batter minimum rule for relievers is a detriment to specialist relievers like Perez, but he held his own against righties, who managed only a tame .229/.341/.286 batting line in 41 plate appearances against him.
The Cleveland bullpen is clearly lacking in stability, though fireballer James Karinchak looked every bit the part of a dominant closer in 2020. He’ll be set up by steady Nick Wittgren and the talented but still inexperienced Emmanuel Clase. Righty Adam Plutko figures to give the team some long relief and spot-start innings, and Cleveland has also brought Blake Parker, Heath Hembree and Bryan Shaw into the fold on minor league deals similar to their pact with Perez.
Perez enters his 19th season in the bigs. May all your sons be born left handed.
It is definitely great to see him back with Cleveland.
Boy could he throw bb’s when he came up. I had just gotten Direct TV’s baseball package and one of the first out of market games I flipped on was the Pirates. I didn’t know who he was but the ball just seemed so small leaving his hand.
The Pirates,in one of their few good moves of that time period,got him and Jason Bay for Brian Giles from the Padres.I saw him pitch in 2004 in his first year with the Pirates and thought that he had a real future,as he had a fine year.Little did I know that it would be as a reliever.
My 16 month old is a lefty. I will be taping a baseball to his hand when Spring gets here.
I remember his rookie year with the Padres. think he was 19 and electric
He was up with…Jake Peavy! That’s how long he’s played. Crazy.
they were gonna front our rotation for years, we thought. wow I’m old
@lordd99 that’s funny.
Did he end up opting out when Plesac came back? he said he would. Perez seems chill
He did not
But he said he’d opt out if they weren’t removed when everyone found out they had done it, not if they were allowed to come back later
He’ll pitch until he’s 49.
Hey if Perez can keep getting major league players out then why retire?
A tale of two careers. First 10 years in his 20s as a starter had an ERA approaching 4.70. Last nine years as a reliever in his 30s has an ERA about 3.50 in nearly 500 games.
He’s only 39? Why does it feel like he’s been playing since 1990?
The Indians needed a lefty for the bullpen and Oliver Perez has been good for the Indians. I am glad to have him back.
I’m happy for OP. Hope he pitches until he’s 50
this guy is eternal. and unlike most lefties, he’s not just kept around for that – its because he’s a good pitcher as well.
Lefties last forever.
Crazy how long he’s stuck around. When his Mets deal expired I figured he’d stick around a few more seasons to attempt a come back and then retire…. but nope! Impressive work ethic and resiliency.
Looks like the mets had the right idea when they asked him to be a reliever when he lost it as a starter but he instead sat in the corner and poutted and wouldnt even think of it. Now what 10 years later he still playing as a reliever.
Wow – he’s only pitched for 8 different teams. I thought it was more than that. Man has he seen some stuff.
I remember when CLE signed Perez in June 2018. Their bullpen was a complete mess at the time (they failed to address it in the offseason figuring it would sort itself out – never does), and Perez was a Godsend. Been rock solid ever since, so I couldn’t be happier that he’s returning.
100% correct.
@solaris602
Except that it DID sort itself out.
People have been hammering the Tribe for not addressing the bullpen for years, and the vast majority of the time those fears go unwarranted. Spending big bucks on the bullpen is the dumbest thing an organization can do, especially one like the Tribe.
Throw a bunch of stuff on the wall. Turns out, most of it will stick.
Oh, and Oliver Perez? Not only is he effective, but he’s one of the most entertaining guys to watch pitch. Old school guile and intensity…such fun to watch him quick pitch guys and come from every angle with surprisingly good control. A blast that guy is.
Mets will trade the whole farm for him in July lol Mets are off-season champs pencil them in for a3rd place finish or worse!
His first ML start was against Jamie Moyer in 2002
Jamie Moyer’s first ML start was against Steve Carlton in 1986
Carlton’s first start was 1965
Lots of years on those arms
this is why I come to the comments. nice work
That is a neat little bit of trivia.
You mets fans ever think after his mets tenure that he would keep going 15 yrs later?
Absolutely no. But he’s been reborn as a good reliever. I do wonder if any other team was knocking on the door. He’s put up some nice numbers for the last few years
He had great stuff and a couple of solid years for the Mets but he seemed very immature. I’m glad he found himself, he clearly has talent. But I tend to like a lot of the young Mets players and sometimes hate to see them go. Justin Turner comes to mind, I thought he could hit. I will admit that he surprised me with his really high level of productivity. Hey, this is the team that traded Nolan Ryan and Amos Otis, to name a couple of their many blunders.
Ryan had to be traded
Even after his decent stint with the Mariners where he came back and was solid I wouldn’t guess he’d be I pitching now, and still be solid.
There is one lefty for the pen.
I still think it would have been funny to see him back on the Mets.
Going to pitch longer than john Franco
If he gets to orosco,hough,niekro,kaat territory that would be massively impressive
How did he not get a major league deal, his stats last year were pretty good
Most “entertaining” pitcher in baseball
He’s been able to stay somewhat successful because he is always working to make up for the shortcomings due to age. He pitches smarter and he uses multiple windup and deliveries to keep the hitters on their toes.
This guy’s getting some serious Big Sexy love
Love the pic they chose
Cesar Hernandez and Oliver Perez were the two free agents I was hoping they’d re-sign. Very happy with this.
All the names mentioned in the article above are all RH giving Perez a very good shot at making the team as a Lefty out of the pen
Kind of surprised he couldn’t get a ML deal somewhere. But chances are, if he pitches the way he has the past several years… he’ll wind up making the club or latching on elsewhere if he doesn’t anyway. Tha let is of course assuming he doesn’t blow up in spring training or something.
I thought this guy retired. Have not heard of the name in a long time.
Who will last longer Perez or Brady?
Used to be a Philly killer back when he played for the Mets. Wish Philly would of signed him for a left handed bullpen