Martín Pérez is the starter the Red Sox need in 2021
There’s nothing I love more than talking about Red Sox starter Martín Pérez, especially on Pérez Day. More often than not since he joined the club ahead of the 2020 season the lefty has been reliable and has far exceeded any expectations placed upon him. Today was no different, and in all actuality, he was needed more this afternoon than possibly ever before during his short tenure in Boston.
The Red Sox had dropped three in a row to the rival Houston Astros and with a three-game set in the Bronx on the horizon, they needed a massive momentum boost before heading to New York. Everyone knew what the task at hand was going into this afternoon’s lunch-time clash with the 2017 World Champions and this team came to do the damn thing. The biggest effort on the day was put forth by Pérez and he more than held up his end of the bargain.
While the bats finally woke up. and Christian Arroyo smashed his first homer of the season, and Xander Bogaerts broke out of a slump, today was about Martín. Boston’s reliable lefty pitched the game of his life and once again proved that he, at this moment, is the best starter in the Red Sox rotation.
Yeah, it’s hard to believe that with guys like Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez in that group, but the numbers don’t lie. Both of Boston’s top arms have gotten touched up badly as of late while Pérez has been doing what he does best, grind out the innings and give his team a chance to win.
Today wasn’t like his usual outings though, there was something different in the air down in Houston. This afternoon saw a Red Sox starter pitch into the eighth inning for the first time this season and Pérez did it without breaking a sweat. No, he didn’t has a massive amount of strikeouts or carry a no-hit bid, but he did dominate the best offense in baseball, and that’s all that matters on this night.
He was so good today that he got pulled in the eighth with two on and two out at just 82 pitches. Of those 82 pitches, he had thrown 59 strikes while giving up just six hits, walking one, and striking out four. The dictionary definition of efficiency. He didn’t waste his chances or find himself in trouble as we’ve seen from some of our other starters as of late, he stayed cool and calm even with runners on and got out of it. The story with Martín has always been he’s a strong arm but that one rough inning can find him, not today buds.
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Pérez attributes his strong effort today to pitching to get contact and not trying to blow pitches by the opposition. It may not be as flashy and definitely won’t be the opening highlight on Sportscenter but a win is a win and this was his best in a Red Sox uniform. He didn’t go out and have this effort against the Orioles, Diamondbacks, or Pirates, it was against the absolute best offense in the game today.
Today’s win brings Pérez’s record to 4-2 on the year with a 3.09 ERA in 58.1 innings. Oh yeah, that 3.09 era, it’s the best of the Red Sox starters. Again, he doesn’t lead the team in K’s, or WHIP, or wins, but he’s letting a lot fewer people cross home plate and that’s what matters the most in the end. This is why I think he’s been Boston’s best pitcher. He’s given them their best chances this year to win games and put the outcome back in the hands of the offense.
I know I harped on it quite a bit throughout this but I can’t say enough good things about Martín Pérez. Since joining the Red Sox he’s carried the flag, driven the war wagon, and has declared war on the Yankees. He will forever be one of my guys because of that mentality. His start today was just another example of what he can do when everything is clicking and why he has become one of the more reliable starters this team has had in some time. Putting another tally in the win column is one hell of a way to celebrate Pérez Day!