From America’s Finest to Baseball’s Worst! Former Padres Pitcher Takes Unlikely Leap to MLB’s Basement Dwellers

Former San Diego Padres starter Martin Pérez has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox, sources told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

The agreement is reportedly worth $5 million pending a physical. The club has yet to confirm the contract.

For San Diego, Pérez made 10 starts, going 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 52 innings. The Padres won his first six starts and eight of his 10 appearances. In four of his final six starts, Pérez allowed one or no earned runs.

Pérez spent time with both Pittsburgh and San Diego in 2024, posting a combined 4.53 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 135 innings. With the Pirates, he made 16 starts, recording a 2-5 record and a 5.20 ERA in 83 innings, though he missed most of June due to a groin injury.

During his time on the injured list, he was traded to the Padres, who benefited from a healthier and more effective version of Pérez after his return.

Chicago is coming off the worst season modern day baseball has seen and Pérez has the potential to provide the consistency needed every fifth day for a young staff.

In 2022, he logged 196.1 innings, and while he hasn’t quite reached that mark in the last two seasons, he’s proven he can be a reliable workhorse. His presence could help prevent the bullpen from being overworked, especially as younger pitchers get more chances.

Pérez also offers flexibility in his role. If the rotation isn’t the best fit, or if another starter is ready for a shot in the majors, he can transition to the bullpen. He showed he could thrive in that role in 2023 with the Texas Rangers, posting a 2.70 ERA in 15 appearances as they pushed toward a World Series title.

Pérez has 13 years of MLB experience, including nine seasons with the Rangers. With more than 1,500 innings under his belt, he has a career 4.44 ERA and 90 wins. The Venezuela native earned an All-Star selection in 2022, after posting a solid 2.89 ERA across 32 starts for Texas.