PITTSBURGH — Eury Pérez, a promising young pitcher, has already been through a considerable journey in his baseball career. The towering 6-foot-8 talent, once a coveted prospect for the Miami Marlins, made his comeback to the mound on Monday after undergoing Tommy John surgery. This outing marked his first major league start since September 20, 2023. Pérez faced some challenges, giving up four runs and four hits across three innings while managing to strike out five and walk two, as the Marlins suffered a 10-3 defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Miami’s manager, Clayton McCullough, expressed his delight at seeing Pérez back on the field. “It was really great to see him back out there,” McCullough commented. He reflected on the hurdles Perez has overcome, acknowledging that though the performance might not have matched Pérez’s expectations, reaching this point was an achievement worth celebrating. “I told him he should be very proud of the work he put in,” McCullough added.
At 22 years and 55 days old, Pérez remains the youngest pitcher currently active in the majors. His initial performance featured two scoreless innings, showcasing his potential. However, the Pirates turned the tide in the third inning, scoring four times to take a 4-1 lead. Andrew McCutchen contributed with an infield single to notch a run, and Bryan Reynolds capitalized with a bases-loaded triple to right-center, driving in more runs.
Reflecting on his first start post-injury, Pérez shared, “A few things piled up in that inning.” Despite the rocky return, he expressed excitement about being back in the major leagues. He recounted, “In the first inning, I kept thinking about all the obstacles that I went through. It’s good to be back.”
Pérez originally entered the major leagues in 2023, impressing with a record of 5-6 and a 3.15 ERA over 19 starts before injury sidelined him. Ahead of the 2023 season, Baseball America ranked him as the seventh-best prospect, underscoring his potential impact on the game.
Manager McCullough remains confident in Pérez’s future contributions, stating, “Look, it’s one start, right? He’s going to be better. He’s a big part of our present and our future.” Prior to the game, Pérez was activated from the 60-day injured list, while left-hander Ryan Weathers was moved to the 60-day IL due to a left lat strain. Weathers, in five starts this season, holds a record of 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA.