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Indians To Re-Sign Oliver Perez

By Steve Adams | February 18, 2021 at 9:43am CDT

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.

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49 comments
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Comments

  1. lordd99

    7 days ago

    Perez enters his 19th season in the bigs. May all your sons be born left handed.

    14 Like
    Reply
    • Francys01

      7 days ago

      It is definitely great to see him back with Cleveland.

      1 Like
      Reply
      • looiebelongsinthehall

        7 days ago

        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.

        Like
        Reply
        • Mendoza Line 215

          6 days ago

          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.

          1 Like
          Reply
    • Dotnet22

      7 days ago

      My 16 month old is a lefty. I will be taping a baseball to his hand when Spring gets here.

      1 Like
      Reply
    • stpbaseball

      7 days ago

      I remember his rookie year with the Padres. think he was 19 and electric

      1 Like
      Reply
      • towinagain

        7 days ago

        He was up with…Jake Peavy! That’s how long he’s played. Crazy.

        1 Like
        Reply
        • stpbaseball

          6 days ago

          they were gonna front our rotation for years, we thought. wow I’m old

          Like
          Reply
    • Oscar Gamble

      6 days ago

      @lordd99 that’s funny.

      Like
      Reply
  2. Luc 2

    7 days ago

    Did he end up opting out when Plesac came back? he said he would. Perez seems chill

    Like
    Reply
    • darkstar61

      7 days ago

      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

      Like
      Reply
  3. wesstl

    7 days ago

    He’ll pitch until he’s 49.

    1 Like
    Reply
  4. Yank4Life

    7 days ago

    Hey if Perez can keep getting major league players out then why retire?

    3 Like
    Reply
    • lordd99

      7 days ago

      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.

      2 Like
      Reply
  5. WiffleBall

    7 days ago

    He’s only 39? Why does it feel like he’s been playing since 1990?

    4 Like
    Reply
  6. hockeyjohn

    7 days ago

    The Indians needed a lefty for the bullpen and Oliver Perez has been good for the Indians. I am glad to have him back.

    4 Like
    Reply
  7. Metsfan42632

    7 days ago

    I’m happy for OP. Hope he pitches until he’s 50

    Like
    Reply
  8. DarkSide830

    7 days ago

    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.

    1 Like
    Reply
  9. whyhayzee

    7 days ago

    Lefties last forever.

    2 Like
    Reply
  10. TrillionaireTeamOperator

    7 days ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
    • Flyby

      7 days ago

      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.

      Like
      Reply
  11. letmeclearmythroat74

    7 days ago

    Wow – he’s only pitched for 8 different teams. I thought it was more than that. Man has he seen some stuff.

    Like
    Reply
  12. solaris602

    7 days ago

    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.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • Polish Hammer

      6 days ago

      100% correct.

      Like
      Reply
    • Avory

      5 days ago

      @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.

      Like
      Reply
  13. MasterShake

    7 days ago

    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!

    1 Like
    Reply
  14. darkstar61

    7 days ago

    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

    5 Like
    Reply
    • Gtfdrussell

      7 days ago

      this is why I come to the comments. nice work

      3 Like
      Reply
    • BaseballFuries

      7 days ago

      That is a neat little bit of trivia.

      3 Like
      Reply
  15. Tom1968

    7 days ago

    You mets fans ever think after his mets tenure that he would keep going 15 yrs later?

    Like
    Reply
    • Bill M

      7 days ago

      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

      Like
      Reply
    • whyhayzee

      7 days ago

      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.

      Like
      Reply
      • Tom1968

        6 days ago

        Ryan had to be traded

        Like
        Reply
    • bloomquist4hof

      7 days ago

      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.

      Like
      Reply
  16. dgk71

    7 days ago

    There is one lefty for the pen.

    Like
    Reply
  17. Kirk Nieuwenhuis For MVP

    7 days ago

    I still think it would have been funny to see him back on the Mets.

    Like
    Reply
  18. dopt

    7 days ago

    Going to pitch longer than john Franco

    Like
    Reply
    • Tom1968

      4 days ago

      If he gets to orosco,hough,niekro,kaat territory that would be massively impressive

      Like
      Reply
  19. bighiggy

    7 days ago

    How did he not get a major league deal, his stats last year were pretty good

    Like
    Reply
  20. Lofton4daHOF

    6 days ago

    Most “entertaining” pitcher in baseball

    1 Like
    Reply
  21. Polish Hammer

    6 days ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
  22. Astros_fan_84

    6 days ago

    This guy’s getting some serious Big Sexy love

    Like
    Reply
  23. pappyvw

    6 days ago

    Love the pic they chose

    Like
    Reply
  24. KeithK

    6 days ago

    Cesar Hernandez and Oliver Perez were the two free agents I was hoping they’d re-sign. Very happy with this.

    1 Like
    Reply
  25. Rsox

    6 days ago

    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

    Like
    Reply
  26. Jeff Zanghi

    6 days ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
  27. pwndroia

    6 days ago

    I thought this guy retired. Have not heard of the name in a long time.

    Like
    Reply
  28. milnertr

    6 days ago

    Who will last longer Perez or Brady?

    Like
    Reply
  29. wwilson237

    3 days ago

    Used to be a Philly killer back when he played for the Mets. Wish Philly would of signed him for a left handed bullpen

    Like
    Reply

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