Martin Perez

Martín Pérez Jiménez (born April 4, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed thrower and batter listed at 6 feet tall and 210 pounds, he has also played for the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox. He was named an MLB All-Star in 2022 and won the World Series with the Rangers in 2023.

Pérez began his professional career when the Texas Rangers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2007 for $580,000. He made 15 short starts at the Rookie-level Spokane team, going 1–2 with a 3.65 ERA over 62 innings, and was ranked the 17th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America in 2010.

He made his MLB debut on June 27, 2012, against the Detroit Tigers, allowing four runs on two hits and striking out one in two-thirds of an inning. Three days later, he earned his first major league win, pitching 5⅓ innings and striking out five while giving up two runs in a 7–2 victory over the Oakland Athletics. He was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on August 1 to make room for Ryan Dempster.

In spring training 2013, Pérez competed for the fifth spot in the Rangers’ rotation but broke his pitching forearm on March 3 when a line drive by Brad Miller struck him. After four rehab starts, he returned on May 27 in a doubleheader against the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts over 5⅓ innings, then was optioned back to Round Rock. Recalled on June 22 to replace Josh Lindblom, he threw his first complete game on August 11 against the Houston Astros. Over 20 starts that season, he went 10–6 with a 3.62 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 124⅓ innings. On November 7, 2013, he signed a four-year, $12.5 million contract with three club options, keeping him under team control through 2020.

On April 23, 2014, Pérez threw nine shutout innings against the Oakland A’s for his second straight complete-game shutout. After several ineffective starts, he was placed on the disabled list with elbow inflammation and underwent Tommy John surgery on May 19 to repair a partially torn UCL, ending his 2014 season. He began 2015 on the 60-day disabled list and returned to the active roster in July.

In 2016, Pérez got his first major league hit on July 15, a single off Kyle Hendricks of the Chicago Cubs, after starting his career 0-for-9 at the plate. He finished the season 10–11, with the lowest strikeout rate in the majors (4.67 per nine innings) and a league-leading 16 batters reaching base on errors. In 2017, he went 13–12 with a 4.32 ERA, the highest WHIP in MLB (1.48), and the highest line-drive percentage allowed (24.8%). He was placed on the disabled list on April 30, 2018, with right elbow discomfort, and activated on July 14. That year, he went 2–7 with a 6.22 ERA.

Pérez signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins on January 30, 2019, competing for the fifth rotation spot. He made 32 appearances (29 starts), posting a 10–7 record over 165⅓ innings with a league-leading 1.52 WHIP. He became a free agent after the season.

On December 19, 2019, he signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox that included a team option for 2021. In the shortened 2020 season, he made 12 starts, going 3–5 with a 4.50 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 62 innings, while leading the American League in walks per nine innings (4.1) and the lowest strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.64). The Red Sox declined his $6.85 million option on November 1, paying a $500,000 buyout. He re-signed with Boston on February 12, 2021, for one year and $4.5 million.

That season, he began in the rotation but moved to the bullpen in early August. He was placed on the COVID-related injured list on August 30 and returned on September 14. Overall, he made 36 appearances (22 starts), going 7–8 with a 4.74 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 114 innings. In the postseason, he made four relief appearances in the American League Championship Series against Houston, allowing five runs in three innings.