The Orioles have claimed lefty Cionel Perez off waivers from the Reds, per a team announcement. Baltimore’s 40-man roster is now full.
Perez, 25, was a prominent international signing out of Cuba by the Astros back in 2016, when current Orioles GM Mike Elias was an assistant GM in Houston. Cincinnati acquired him from Houston this past January, and he went on to tally 24 big league innings with a 6.38 ERA with a 22.5% strikeout rate, an 18.6% walk rate and a 51.5% ground-ball rate at the MLB level. In 50 2/3 innings between the Reds and the Astros, Perez has a 6.04 ERA.
While he’s worked exclusively as a reliever in the Majors, Perez has split his time between the rotation and the bullpen in the minors. He has a 4.46 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate and 11.7% walk rate in 82 2/3 innings of Triple-A ball, and although that walk rate is rather bloated, Perez’s 52% grounder rate in Triple-A is strong. He was particularly sharp in Triple-A Louisville this past season, notching a 3.26 ERA and 41-to-13 K/BB ratio in 30 1/3 innings of relief.
Perez is out of minor league options, so if he makes it through the offseason on Baltimore’s 40-man roster, have to either break camp with the Orioles or else be exposed to waivers a second time.
This was that big move O’s fans have wanted for a LONG LONG time!!!
HA HA HA that’s a good joke because it’s so original! No one has made that joke before!
I’m not joking.
Then you must mean that literally in which case you’re also wrong.
Did the Reds waive Perez to pick up Clint Frasier
Small sample size but his stats don’t look pretty. That said this is the kind of move a last place team has to make multiple times. They know what talent they already have that is MLB ready. See what else is available.
Teams like the Reds can claim him, then pass them thru waivers themselves and keep them in the organization for depth. Hundreds of these transactions are made every year.
Not too terrible of a signing. Perez did have a good 18 and 20 season according to his stats.
Man 20 walks in 24 innings plus 5 home-runs . Jim Palmer is not going to be happy with him . He did also strikeout 20 batters . I would like to see his Strat O Matic card .
Elias hasn’t fully understood that you want to acquire 3-Outcome hitters, not 3-Outcome PITCHERS.
They still make Strat-O-Matic?
So does this mean the Reds are planning to tender a contract to Amir Garrett? I think Justin Wilson may be the only other LHP on their roster.
Reds traded catcher Luke Berryhill for Perez. Berryhill was the Astros minor league player of the year in 2021!
I don’t know if Berryhill will ever make the bigs as an Astro. He’s far down the depth chart as it sits now.
But he sure is helping more than Perez
This gives the Orioles 3 lefties. I wonder if Fry is potentially non tendered now.
He was really horrific in the second half. Though I’d like to see the team bring him back and try to iron it out. He will make more than the league minimum…..
The Baltimore Retreads.
For a guy who induces a lot of grounders, he gives up a ton of homers.
elias- the garbage collector!