Pirates are looking for consistency, and veteran lefty Martin Perez will lead them in the starting lineup.

BRADENTON, Florida: When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Martin Perez, they needed starting pitching badly, but they expected more from the seasoned left-hander than just a fifth-day start every five days.

It was easy for Derek Shelton: stability.

When Perez pitched for the Minnesota Twins in 2019, the manager of the Pirates was also their bench coach. Shelton was struck by Perez’s appearance on the first day that pitchers and catchers reported to Pirate City.

Shelton remarked, “After hearing him speak today and seeing how much he’s grown and assumed the role of that veteran guy, I’m excited to get him.” “This guy is really important to us because he’s developed into a solid pitcher and clubhouse leader.”

Perez inked a $8 million one-year deal with the Pirates following his World Series victory with the Texas Rangers in the previous fall. He believed he had a good chance of starting. The 31-year-old Venezuelan was aware that he could provide an experienced voice for a youthful club that finished the regular season with 76 wins and aspirations to make the playoffs.

Perez stated, “I thought it was a good opportunity for me when I got the call.” “My purpose is not limited to performing my duties on the mound. I come here to support my teammates and show them what a great feeling a World Series victory can bring. I simply try to instill that mindset in these boys and work to improve them both as individuals and athletes, making sure they understand the need of competition to reach that goal.

The 6-foot, 200-pound sinkerballer was sent to the Texas bullpen in August of last year after finishing 8-4 with a 4.98 ERA in 20 appearances—including four starts in July with an 8.50 ERA—and ranked among the worst in MLB in terms of strikeout rate (15.3%) and whiff percentage (17.2%). That was a setback for a pitcher who was an All-Star for the Rangers in 2022 after going 12-8 in 196 1/3 innings over 32 starts with a 2.89 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

“I realize that last year was strange for me, but as I mentioned, it’s a new year. We have new objectives,” stated Perez. “In my opinion, I want to be prepared to pitch 32-33 starts when I get out there. Every five days, I would like to pitch and support the squad in winning. I just handle things differently, but I think the same way. Even if it’s a new organization, I’ll be able to meet their expectations of me and be prepared for what they want.”

For this reason, stability is crucial. Throughout his career, Perez has made 32 or more starts three times, including back-to-back seasons from 2016 to 2017. In seven of his twelve major league seasons, he has made at least twenty starts. In 2016, he threw 33 starts and recorded a career-high 198 2/3 innings.

Perez had already been moved to the bullpen; the Boston Red Sox did so in August of 2021. Ben Cherington, general manager of the Pirates, was intrigued by the prospect of adding a lefty to the rotation to complement Marco Gonzales, since he knew Perez might have a successful season.

According to Cherington, “Martin was drawn to our circumstances and we were drawn to him because of our knowledge of his development over the past few years as a teammate.” “He had an amazing season a year ago, and when we reflected on it, we noticed a few minor things that had altered, things that we felt would be quite simple for him to fix.

The fact that Perez was acquainted with both Shelton and Oscar Marin, the Pirates’ pitching coach and a former minor league pitching coach for the Rangers, added to the team’s allure.

“I’ve experienced them before. Perez remarked, “Our friendship is good. “I too have faith in this group. Money is not everything, so trust me when I say that if I don’t feel well somewhere, I won’t be there. It is an honor for me to be here with this kind of group because I know we can make a strong team.