The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left-handed pitcher Martin Perez to a one-year deal, according to Robert Murray. Jason Mackey adds that the deal is for $8 million.
Perez is entering his age 33 season, and is coming off a year where he put up a 4.45 ERA in 141.2 innings of work. He saw a drop in his strikeout rate to 15%, and saw a lot of home runs. One year prior, Perez had better results, with a 2.89 ERA in 196.1 innings.
The Pirates need innings, above all. They’ve already added Marco Gonzales to their rotation this offseason, making Perez the second lefty added to the mix. Outside of those two, the Pirates only have Mitch Keller, after seeing Johan Oviedo go down with Tommy John following the 2023 season. The Pirates at this point could fill the remaining two spots with a bullpen approach, easing some of their younger starters into the mix.
Perez brings a veteran presence, along with his innings. This will be the first time in his 12-year career that he pitches in the National League. He should receive a boost from pitching in PNC Park, which would reduce his home run numbers. That said, Perez isn’t a dominant pitcher. He gets above-average contact rates, both in and out of the zone. He generates a below-average swing and miss rate overall, though his changeup and curveball get above-average swinging strike rates.
The Pirates have had success the last three years with veteran lefty starters. Tyler Anderson put up a 4.35 ERA in 2021. Jose Quintana followed with a 3.50 ERA in 2022. Rich Hill had a 4.76 ERA in 2023. More importantly, all three pitchers provided innings through the trade deadline, at which point they all were traded. That route is a possibility for both Perez and Gonzales this year if they can provide reliable innings by the deadline.
