Perez (groin) will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Friday in Atlanta, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The Pirates will push back Jared Jones' next turn through the rotation in order to make room for Perez, whose last outing before he landed on the IL in late May coincidentally came against Atlanta. Perez needed just one rehab start to convince the Pirates he was ready to rejoin the big club, as he allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings while tossing 65 pitches for Triple-A Indianapolis last weekend. Perez shouldn't face any sort of major restriction with his workload Friday.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Expected back this weekend
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Perez (groin) is expected to rejoin the rotation this weekend in Atlanta, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Perez got his pitch count up to 65 in a rehab outing with Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday and threw some more pitches in the bullpen following the appearance. He's rejoined the Pirates in Cincinnati and will throw a bullpen session Tuesday. While the team has not yet declared a date for his return to the rotation, it's fully expected to happen this weekend. Perez has been shelved since late May with a strained left groin.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Five innings in rehab outing
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Perez (groin) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and no walks while striking out four across five innings in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday.
Perez pitched in his first game since landing on the 15-day injured list May 28 and threw 63 pitches. The total was slightly below his goal of 75 pitches heading into the day, though Perez likely did enough to prove he's ready to be activated for his next turn through the rotation. The earliest he might return from the IL would be Friday at Atlanta.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Sent on rehab assignment
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Perez (groin) will pitch for Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Perez has been steadily progressing since being placed on the IL in late May with a strained left groin, and he will take the last step of his recovery by starting a rehab assignment. Per Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com, Perez is expected to throw roughly 75 pitches Saturday as his only rehab start. Prior to the injury, Perez held a 4.71 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP across 57.1 innings with Pittsburgh.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Throws live BP
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Perez (groin) threw live batting practice Monday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
There weren't many details shared about the session, but Perez did tell manager Derek Shelton he felt fine after the activity. Perez may embark on a rehab assignment soon, though there isn't much clarity for the time being.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Expected to resume mound work
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Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Friday that Perez (groin) will likely resume throwing off the slope of a mound this weekend, MLB.com reports.
Perez was placed on the 15-day injured list May 28 with a left groin strain, which he sustained while covering first base on a play during his last start May 26. Tomczyk noted that Perez is pain-free in all of his rehab activities and has been throwing off flat ground without restrictions, so the southpaw looks like he'll soon be able to move on to the next phase of his rehab by throwing a bullpen session. Perez is without a defined target date for a return from the IL, but he's likely at least a week away from being activated.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Officially placed on injured list
Rotowire
The Pirates placed Perez on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a left groin strain.
Perez injured his groin while covering first base during Sunday's start against Atlanta. He initially remained in the game before eventually being pulled. It's not clear at this point how long the southpaw might be sidelined. Quinn Priester will likely be recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to replace Perez in the Pirates rotation.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Headed to injured list
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Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Tuesday in an interview with 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh that Perez (groin) will be placed on the 15-day injured list.
Perez suffered a left groin injury during Sunday's start against Atlanta, and while the severity is unclear at the moment, it's evidently bad enough that the left-hander will be sidelined for at least a couple weeks. Quinn Priester looms as an obvious candidate to replace Perez in the Pittsburgh rotation. Perez's next turn will come up Sunday in Toronto.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Leaves game with groin injury
Rotowire
Perez was removed from Sunday's game against Atlanta due to a left groin injury.
Perez left after the third inning of Sunday's contest, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out two. Carmen Mlodzinski came in for Perez for the top of the fourth inning. The severity of the injury is not known, and Perez is currently slated to make his next start June 2 against the Blue Jays.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Shaky in no-decision
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Perez came away with a no-decision in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Giants, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out four.
The veteran southpaw threw only 56 of 98 pitches for strikes, but an Oneil Cruz error in the first inning helped soften the blow to Perez's ERA. He's completed six innings only once in his last seven starts, posting a 6.37 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 29:12 K:BB through 35.1 innings over that stretch, but Pittsburgh doesn't have many healthy alternatives for its rotation right now. Perez will try to turn things around in his next outing, which lines up to come at home this weekend against Atlanta.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Done in by long ball
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Perez (1-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Brewers, allowing nine runs on 11 hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out four.
All nine of Milwaukee's runs against Perez came via the home run -- the left-hander gave up a career-high five long balls after not allowing more than one in any of his first eight starts this year. It was a brutal day for the veteran left-hander, whose ERA is up to 4.86 with a 1.50 WHIP and 40:14 K:BB through 50 innings this season. Perez will look to get back on track in his next outing, currently slated for early next week at home versus San Francisco.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Doomed by sixth inning
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Perez allowed four earned runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out five across five innings Wednesday against the Angels. He did not factor into the decision.
Perez worked five effective innings, allowing only two earned runs. However, he allowed the first two hitters he faced in the sixth inning to reach base, who then came around to score after Luis Ortiz entered the game. Perez has faded in the sixth inning in consecutive starts, allowing five earned runs combined in the frame. Overall, he still has a positive 3.60 ERA, though that comes with a less impressive 1.40 WHIP and 36:13 K:BB.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Fades late in loss
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Perez (1-2) took the loss Friday, giving up three runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings as the Pirates fell 3-2 to the Rockies. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The veteran lefty was engaged in a scoreless pitchers' duel with Cal Quantrill through five innings, but Perez ran out of gas in the sixth. He exited after 88 pitches (61 strikes), coming up two outs short of his fourth quality start of the season. Perez will take a 3.15 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 31:13 K:BB through 40 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Angels.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Allows one run in no-decision
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Perez pitched six innings in a no-decision against the Giants on Saturday, allowing one unearned run on four hits and two walks over six innings while striking out four.
Perez was highly-efficient Saturday, retiring 11 of the first 13 batters he faced before eventually surrendering an RBI double to Wilmer Flores in the bottom of the sixth. It marked the veteran lefty's third start this season in which he lasted six or more innings, and he's now given up two or fewer runs in four of his six outings overall. On the downside, he's also issued multiple walks in all but one start this season.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Labors through first loss
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Perez (1-1) picked up the loss Sunday against the Red Sox, allowing four runs on six hits over four innings. He walked four and struck out seven.
The day began with a seven pitch walk which set the tone for the Boston effort against Perez, who was consistently battled throughout his outing and labored through 91 pitches over four-plus innings. Perez came into the game with just seven walks and 16 strikeouts through four starts spanning 24.2 innings, but uncharacteristically walked four and struck out seven on the day, leading to the elevated pitch count. Despite allowing eight baserunners through four, Perez held the Red Sox in check by allowing just two runs. He was then pulled after allowing the first two runners to reach base in the fifth with a one-out single by Reese McGuire off reliever Ryder Ryan plating both inherited runners and saddling Perez with four earned runs allowed. Perez will look to rebound in his next start, tentatively slated to take place during next weekend's series in San Francisco against the Giants.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Posts one strikeout in no-decision
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Perez did not factor into the decision Monday against the Mets, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over 5.2 innings. He struck out one.
Perez was pitching well again through his first five innings until being chased by three Mets hits and a walk in the sixth inning. The 33-year-old veteran has provided stability to the rotation during his first year in Pittsburgh, pitching to the tune of a 2.55 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 16:7 K:BB over 24.2 innings. Perez is scheduled to make his next start at home against the Red Sox.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Fires eight strong innings
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Perez didn't factor in the decision Tuesday after he gave up one run on six hits and no walks over eight innings during a 5-3 loss to the Tigers. He struck out seven.
The veteran left-hander pitched well in his first two starts of the campaign with three runs allowed across 11 innings, but he was outright dominant Tuesday as he threw 70 of his 100 pitches for strikes and generated a combined 36 called and swinging strikes. Perez was in line for his second victory before closer David Bednar fell apart in the ninth inning. Perez is off to one of the best starts of his big-league career with a 1.89 ERA through three turns, with a matchup versus the Phillies awaiting him this weekend.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Inefficient in no-decision
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Perez didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 7-2 win over the Marlins, allowing one run on six hits and three walks over 4.1 innings while striking out two.
The veteran lefty was stingy when it came to runs, but Perez needed 86 pitches (50 strikes) to record 13 outs and couldn't last long enough to qualify for the win in an eventual 7-2 victory. He's expected to give the Pirates some reliable innings this season, but after working as a swingman for the Rangers last season and making 15 of his 35 appearances in relief, Perez could be a bullpen candidate once prospects like Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler are deemed ready for the majors.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Locked into rotation spot
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Perez has allowed one earned run across 12 innings with a 13:4 K:BB in Grapefruit League action.
There are a couple of vacancies at the back of the Pirates' rotation, but Perez will be locked in as a starter to begin the regular season. He built up to five innings in an outing against the Phillies on Monday, racking up eight strikeouts against two walks without allowing a run. Despite the strong form, there should be some skepticism about Perez's performance, as he's posted an ERA above 4.40 in six of his last seven campaigns.
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Pirates' Martin Perez: Reaches deal with Pirates
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Perez signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Pirates on Monday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Perez accepted a qualifying offer from the Rangers last offseason following his surprising 2022 campaign, but he struggled to repeat his performance in 2023, collecting a 4.45 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 93:49 K:BB over 141.2 frames. He also posted one of the lower groundball rates of his career at 45.5 percent. Perez will turn 33 in April and a rebound in Pittsburgh in 2024 seems unlikely.
