Martin Perez has a chance to crack the Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation in 2020. The veteran left-hander is relishing the opportunity.
Perez, who officially signed with the Red Sox on Thursday, figures to join a rotation that includes Chris Sale, David Price, Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi, although that’s obviously subject to change based on whatever else Boston’s new chief baseball officer, Chaim Bloom, has planned this offseason.
He isn’t expected to dominate — Perez profiles as a back-end starter — but the Red Sox obviously saw something in the southpaw, and he’s looking forward to donning a Boston uniform after spending his first seven seasons with the Texas Rangers and the 2019 campaign with the Minnesota Twins.
“It’s a big opportunity for me and my career, and for my family to be a part of the Red Sox organization,” Perez told The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams on Thursday. “It’s a dream come true. I finally have a chance to represent one of the top teams in the MLB. It’s an honor for me.”
Perez is coming off a season in which he went 10-7 with a 5.12 ERA, a 4.66 FIP, a 1.52 WHIP and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings across 165 1/3 frames. Those numbers were the product of a solid first half followed by a horrendous second half, making him somewhat of a wild card as the Red Sox look to fill out their rotation while also trimming payroll.
“I’m a good guy,” Perez told McWilliams. “I’m not a selfish guy. I like to work hard. The Red Sox have been following me for a couple of years. Now, we have the chance to sign and, like I said, be a part of the Red Sox organization.”
Perez, who turns 29 in April, has posted a 53-56 record, a 4.72 ERA, a 4.48 FIP, a 1.49 WHIP and 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 173 career appearances (157 starts).
