Cionel Pérez, a talented pitcher from Cuba, has been granted a significant financial boost by the Baltimore Orioles. The team has opted to exercise a $2.2 million contract option for the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) season, effectively bypassing the arbitration process.
Previously, the left-handed reliever, who hails from Matanzas, earned $1.1 million through arbitration during the last season. The Orioles have chosen to reward Pérez following another impressive year in which he did not allow any home runs over 53.2 innings, according to an exclusive report by journalist Francys Romero.
On Facebook, Romero highlighted that Pérez's fastball and sinker averaged speeds exceeding 96 miles per hour (mph), notably higher than the MLB average of 93.0 mph. Pérez has been a cornerstone in the Orioles' bullpen during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, achieving a remarkable ERA of 2.43 over 111 innings. However, his ERA rose to 4.53 in 2024, despite maintaining an excellent groundball rate of 55.8 percent.
Strategic Moves for a Competitive 2025 Season
With this strategic decision, the Orioles aim to enter the 2025 season with a robust and adaptable roster, prepared to tackle upcoming challenges in both the starting rotation and bullpen. These adjustments are critical, especially following the departure of Corbin Burnes and the elbow surgery that will sideline Kyle Bradish for several weeks.