The Boston Red Sox are heading into spring training with a weak starting rotation. If they want success in 2020 they’ll need Martin Perez to step up.
It’s officially here, friends! Pitchers and catchers have reported to Fort Myers and workouts have begun. A fresh season, a fresh opportunity, and a fresh starting rotation for the Boston Red Sox. Key members of the starting squad are now elsewhere as David Price is wearing that Dodger Blue and Rick Porcello has gone to the Big Apple.
With that said, Boston still has some strong arms in the rotation in Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Nathan Eovaldi. There’s a new face in camp this spring though and he will be more important to 2020 than we could’ve imagined.
Martin Perez was signed by the Red Sox this winter with the hopes of him filling the fifth-man spot in the rotation. However, with Price being sent to Los Angeles, he may be seeing his role upgraded within the pitching staff. The veteran lefty will now have to carry the weight left behind by Price and Porcello.
Perez and Boston agreed to terms on a one year, $6M contract with a team option for 2021. This year will not only be vital to the Red Sox finding success through the southpaw but also for Perez’s playing future. He’ll be turning 29 shortly after the season kicks off and with eight years already under his belt, his options are waning. If he can perform at a high level this season then that can be a major win-win.
While in Fort Myers getting his spring training regimen underway, Perez spoke to the media and the impact he can have isn’t lost on the hurler.
"“To be a Red Sox player, it’s an honor for me to be here,” Perez said. “I’ve been following this team since I was young and I know this is great organization. They like to win a lot. I’m here to give all that I can to give this team a chance to win.”"
Perez has never been much of a dazzler on the mound but he is consistent which is something the Red Sox needed desperately in 2019. The pitching staff was a nightmare from top to bottom with little consistency from either side of the staff. If Martin can bring the consistency he has throughout his career, that can be a massive boost for Boston.
Christian Vázquez spent Day 1 of #SoxSpring getting to know Martín Pérez and his nasty sinker. pic.twitter.com/PHvF2JGjep
— Red Sox (@RedSox) February 13, 2020
Last season saw a major bounceback for Perez who tossed 165.1 innings with a 5.12 ERA and 1.518 WHIP, earning a 10-7 record. I know, those numbers don’t jump off the screen but compared to his 2018 line of 2-7/6.22/85.1/1.781, I’ll take it. There’s also the possibility of him finding comfort with the Red Sox that allows him to reach new heights. Working side by side with guys like Sale, Eovaldi, and E-Rod will only increase that possibility.
"“I have a lot of questions for those guys, and not just for Rodriguez and Sale,” he said. “For everybody. You can learn everyday, it doesn’t matter if you have a lot of time in the big leagues or no time."
Having spent the entirety of his career in the Ameican League, Perez is no stranger to Fenway Park or the Red Sox. Having a familiarity with the park will allow him to work his pitch sequences to best fit the unique nature of Fenway. If he can work his pitches to keep the ball where his defense can handle it, he could have one hell of a season.
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This rotation has the pieces to be truly stellar and raise the Red Sox back into contention after a dismal 2019. As we know all too well, anything and everything can happen to derail that though. Adding Martin Perez for a decent salary was a great move by Chaim Bloom.
If he winds up being a bust, then the team spent peanuts and he’s gone after this year. However, if he has a resurgence and approaches the potential that the Rangers saw in him, then Boston has him on a steal for 2021. These are the types of moves that Bloom was brought into Boston to make. Perez is a low risk/high reward signing that has the possibility of paying off huge come October.
Boston is in dire need of a comeback season as most outside of Red Sox Nation has already counted them out. If 2020 becomes a repeat of last year then more heads may roll as the nightmare continues. Having another veteran on the staff can only help to bolster the rotation while also mentoring the younger players. Martin Perez can provide just as much on the field as he can off of it and that’s exactly what Boston needs in 2020.