Boston Red Sox rumors: Martin Perez just a piece of the puzzle
One of the bright spots of the 2020 MLB season was the pitching performance of veteran starter Martin Perez, who turned out to be the most reliable starter for the Boston Red Sox in a down year.
After being spurned by Corey Kluber, who took less money to sign with the AL East rival New York Yankees, the Red Sox inked essentially a one-year deal with Perez with a team option in 2022.
Not an exciting move but given how Perez performed on the mound for a struggling team it was a safe option for the team, especially if the left-handed pitcher is at the end of the rotation.
Martin Perez just a piece of the Boston Red Sox pitching puzzle
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With Eduardo Rodriguez expected to return and Chris Sale some point in the season, a rotation of Sale, Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi and Perez is not that shabby if the Red Sox do nothing else this offseason, which there is hope they are not done. That is something Red Sox manager Alex Cora hinted out during a recent appearance on MLB Network Radio
"“As far as the pitching, I do believe we’re deeper than actually ’19 and what the team was last year,” Cora said, as transcribed by Masslive.com. “Little by little, the front office did a good job during the season last year and the offseason to add some quality arms, some intriguing arms. Yesterday we add Martin and you start looking around: Eduardo (Rodriguez), Eovaldi, (Nick) Pivetta, Martin, (Matt) Andriese. We’ve got (Tanner) Houck. So little by little, we’re building this puzzle. And like I said in November, I think I said it in December, and I’m going to keep saying it all the way to April 1, this puzzle is not completed. We have to be patient. But we’re going to be better.”"
Add someone like Jake Odorizzi or Garrett Richards and now we’re talking. Both veteran pitchers have been linked to the Boston Red Sox. With what’s out there and affordable, either of the two or even a Matt Moore would make the starting rotation going into the 2021 more satisfactory.
As far as Perez goes, the team knows he is going to eat up innings. In 12 starts in 2020, he went just 3-5 with a 4.50 ERA, but he gave the team more than five innings a start, which any team would take from a fourth or fifth starter once Sale is back in the fold.
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In conclusion, the Perez signing could turn out to be an important signing as he provides depth given the injury history of both Rodriguez and Eovaldi. With intriguing arms like Pivetta, Andriese and Houck also in the mix, the Boston Red Sox are in good position if they can sign a Odorizzi or Richards type pitcher to add to the mix.
At least for now, the puzzle isn’t complete. Perez is just one of those pieces that fit in the middle.