MIAMI — Eury Perez’s time in the major leagues, at least for the time being, has come to an end.
The Miami Marlins on Friday optioned the 20-year-old right-handed pitcher to the minor leagues, a move that was expected at some point before the All-Star Break considering the team’s plan to be cautious with Perez as he maneuvered through this season.
“We all understand and now we’ve seen first-hand just what a great talent he is,” Marlins general manager Kim Ng said. “He has certainly done a terrific job for us.”
The move is two-fold.
First, sending Perez to the minor leagues limits his workload, one that has already exceeded what he has done in a given season since making his professional debut in 2021. Prior to this season, Perez has not thrown more than 78 innings in a season. After his start on Thursday — six innings of one-run ball against the St. Louis Cardinals — Perez has already thrown 84 1/3 innings in 2023 (31 in six starts with Double-A Pensacola, 53 1/3 in 11 starts with the Marlins).
Second, the Marlins’ starting rotation is starting to get healthy. Johnny Cueto will be added back to the active roster after his 30-day rehab assignment window ends this weekend and the team expects Edward Cabrera to return soon as well, hopefully shortly after the All-Star break.
“With some of our pitching coming back, this is an opportune time to give him a breather,” Ng said. “This has been part of our development plan for him. Like I said, just tremendous talent that we just have to do the right thing by him.”
Now, this is not a complete shutdown. Perez will still throw in the minor leagues. Whether that’s strictly a throwing progression and bullpen sessions or potentially getting into games but not at a once-every-five-days schedule is to be determined.
So, too, is when he will return to the big leagues. The Marlins are in contention for the playoffs and would understandably want him back with the club should they still be in the hunt down the stretch.
“It’s always hard when somebody gets sent out,” Ng said. It definitely wasn’t ideal. You definitely feel for players when you have to send them out, but listen, he was a pro. I think after [the conversation], he understood and he’s very focused on making his way back here.”
That said, Perez certainly impressed in his first MLB stint. He became the youngest pitcher to ever debut for the Marlins.
Over 11 starts, even with a dud against the Atlanta Braves last weekend in which he gave up six runs and recorded just one out, Perez still posted a 2.36 ERA with 61 strikeouts against 17 walks over 53 1/3 innings.
“Every experience, every batter I face is a memory for me,” Perez said postgame Thursday. “It’s something I’m going to remember all the time. The experience with the players is something that I will always take. I have that mentality of ‘just keep going.’ I don’t know if they’re going to stop me now or when it’s going to happen, but my mentality is to continue working hard and be ready to help this team in any way I can.”
Just how good was Perez through his first 11 starts?
His 2.36 ERA is the lowest for a pitcher 20 years old or younger with at least 50 innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (since 1920).
He was the youngest player (20 years and 71 days old) since at least 1901 to record three consecutive scoreless outings of six-plus innings, doing so in outings against the Mariners, Blue Jays and Pirates.
His eight starts of at least five innings with no more than one run allowed are the most through his first 11 starts for any pitcher to debut since at least 1901.
“We’ve said it before,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said, “that he’s kind of the unicorn, and he doesn’t look like he’s 20 with his demeanor.”
