Diamondbacks: Oliver Perez Having Best Years of Career
Oliver Perez made his Major League Baseball debut on June 16, 2002 in a San Diego Padres uniform. 13 years and four teams later, Perez is experiencing the best stint with any team in his career.
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Perez initially began his career as a starting pitcher for the Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Mets before being a relief pitcher with the Seattle Mariners in 2012. From 2002-through-2010 Perez made 195 starts, while accumulating a 59-68 record with a 4.63 ERA. He also carried a 9.1 K/9 rate over his nine seasons as a starter.
In 110 games with the Diamondbacks, Perez has had his most effective years of his career as he holds a 4-5 record out of the bullpen and a stellar 3.10 ERA in 2014 and 2015. He has struck out 107 batters in 84.1 innings pitched for a whopping 11.4 K/9. Perez ranks third among all active pitchers and seventh all-time in K/9 with a career mark of 9.368.
Perez always seemed to struggle with his control before landing in Arizona. He had a 1.84 strikeout/walk ratio before joining the Diamondbacks, but has carried a 3.15 SO/BB ratio with Arizona.
In 84+ innings with Arizona, Perez has only allowed four base runners to steal a base on him. In Perez’s career base runners are just 46-for-66 on stolen base attempts while he is on the mound.
Perez is currently one of just two south paws in the Diamondbacks bullpen (Andrew Chafin is the other) and is slotted in as the setup man behind Brad Ziegler. Perez has never earned a save in his career, but he very well could have an opportunity to earn at least one in the second half of the 2015 season.