The Orioles have picked up their $2.2MM membership choice on the companies of left-hander Cionel Perez for the 2025 season, based on Francys Romero. Baltimore would’ve nonetheless had Perez beneath staff management for 2025 through arbitration even when the choice had been declined. They’ve additionally picked up their $8MM choice on the companies of first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, as first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Put up. Each will return to the membership in 2025.
Whether or not or not the Orioles would decide up Perez’s choice gave the impression to be a detailed name provided that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a $2.1MM wage for the left-hander in his penultimate journey via arbitration. That is available in barely decrease than the determine Perez will now earn in 2025. It’s potential Baltimore’s personal inside view of Perez’s seemingly arbitration wage got here in a contact larger than MLBTR’s, though the Orioles’ resolution could also be so simple as not wanting to say no the choice and danger an arbitration listening to with the southpaw over simply $100K.
That there was any form of resolution to be made relating to the choice would’ve registered as one thing of a shock headed into the 2024 season. Getting into this yr, Perez had been among the many membership’s easiest relievers over his two years in Baltimore. From 2022 to ’23, Perez dominated to the tune of a 2.43 ERA in 111 innings of labor. That implausible ERA was considerably belied by larger 3.30 FIP because of Perez’s lackluster strikeout (20.6%) and stroll (10%) charges over the previous two years, however the lefty made up for that by producing grounders at a wonderful 56.2% fee.
Extra to come back…
