Martín Pérez Bio
Martín Pérez Jiménez (born April 4, 1991) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has spent more than a decade pitching in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox. Pérez earned an American League All-Star selection in 2022 and won the 2023 World Series as a member of the Rangers. A left-handed starter who relies on command and pitch movement rather than overpowering velocity, he has been a steady presence in several major league rotations across his career.
Early Life and Background
Martín Pérez Jiménez was born on April 4, 1991, and grew up in Venezuela, where baseball is a central part of community life. From a young age he developed his skills in local and regional settings, drawing attention from international scouts as a teenager. His early athletic development focused on pitching mechanics and control, traits that later defined his professional reputation.
Because Pérez was not drafted through the standard MLB First-Year Player Draft, his path to professional baseball came through the international free-agent market. This background gave him an early introduction to high-level competition and helped prepare him for a long professional journey that began well before his major league debut.
Path to Professional Baseball
The Texas Rangers signed Martín Pérez in 2007 as an undrafted international free agent for $580,000, marking his formal entry into professional baseball. In his first season at Rookie-level Spokane, he made 15 short starts over 62 innings, going 1–2 with a 3.65 earned run average (ERA). His performance at that level drew national attention, and Baseball America ranked him as the No. 17 overall baseball prospect in 2010.
Pérez continued to develop through the Rangers’ minor league system, advancing toward the major leagues. The combination of his prospect status and his steady climb through the minors positioned him as one of the more highly regarded young arms in the organization heading into 2012.
Martín Pérez Career
Early Career (2012–2013)
On June 26, 2012, the Texas Rangers called Pérez up to the major leagues. The following day he made his MLB debut against the Detroit Tigers, and on June 30 he earned his first major league win after pitching 5⅓ innings against the Oakland Athletics. After a brief option to Triple-A Round Rock, he returned to the Rangers and began establishing himself as a rotation option.
In 2013, Pérez competed for a spot in the Rangers’ starting five during spring training before a broken left forearm, suffered when he was hit by a line drive, sidelined him at the start of the season. He returned to log 20 starts, going 10–6 with a 3.62 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 124⅓ innings, and he also threw his first career complete game on August 11 against the Houston Astros. On November 7, 2013, Texas signed him to a four-year, $12.5 million extension with three club options, keeping him under team control through 2020.
Texas Rangers First Stint (2014–2018)
Pérez opened 2014 with back-to-back complete-game shutouts, including nine scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics on April 23. Later that season, inflammation in his pitching elbow led to Tommy John surgery in May 2014, ending his year and beginning a long rehabilitation process that carried into 2015.
After returning from surgery, Pérez posted a 10–11 record in 2016 and led the major leagues with the fewest strikeouts per nine innings (4.67) that season. In 2017, he went 13–12 with a 4.32 ERA but finished with the highest WHIP (1.48) and the highest line-drive percentage allowed (24.8%) among MLB pitchers. His 2018 season was cut short by right-elbow discomfort, and he finished 2–7 with a 6.22 ERA before becoming a free agent after the year.
Minnesota Twins (2019)
On January 30, 2019, Pérez signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Twins with hopes of competing for the fifth rotation spot. He became a regular in the Twins’ starting five, making 32 appearances and 29 starts while logging 165⅓ innings.
Pérez finished 2019 with a 10–7 record, though his 1.52 WHIP was the highest in the major leagues that season. After the year, he again entered free agency and prepared for the next chapter of his career.
Boston Red Sox (2020–2021)
Pérez signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox on December 19, 2019. In the shortened 2020 season, he made 12 starts and went 3–5 with a 4.50 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 62 innings, leading the American League in walks per nine innings (4.1) and posting the lowest strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.64) in the league. Boston declined its 2021 option on Pérez, paying a buyout and sending him back to the open market.
He re-signed with the Red Sox on February 12, 2021, on a one-year, $4.5 million contract. Pérez began the year in the rotation before moving to the bullpen in early August, finishing the regular season 7–8 with a 4.74 ERA across 36 appearances and 22 starts. He also appeared in four American League Championship Series relief outings against Houston before Boston again declined his option, making him a free agent.
Texas Rangers Second Stint (2022–2023)
On March 14, 2022, Pérez returned to the Texas Rangers on a one-year, $4 million contract. On May 29, he took a perfect game bid into the seventh inning against the Houston Astros before Chas McCormick broke it up with a double, and he was later named an American League All-Star. Pérez finished 2022 with a 12–8 record, a 2.89 ERA, and 169 strikeouts over 196⅓ innings in 32 starts.
He accepted a one-year qualifying offer worth $19.65 million to remain with the Rangers for 2023. Texas captured the 2023 World Series, giving Pérez his first career championship ring.
Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres (2024)
On January 5, 2024, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Pérez to a one-year, $8 million contract. In 16 starts for Pittsburgh, he went 2–5 with a 5.20 ERA and 63 strikeouts across 83 innings before the Pirates traded him on July 30 to the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitcher Ronaldys Jimenez. Pérez finished the year with 10 Padres starts, going 3–1 with a 3.46 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 52 innings.
Chicago White Sox (2025)
On January 21, 2025, Pérez signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. He made 11 appearances and 10 starts for Chicago, going 1–6 with a 3.54 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 56 innings, but his season was interrupted first by a flexor strain and later by a shoulder strain that ended his year in September. After declining the 2026 option in his contract, Pérez became a free agent on November 4, 2025.
Pitching Style and Strengths
Pérez features a four-seam fastball that sits around 93 mph, a sharp breaking curveball, and a changeup, generating results through movement and command rather than overpowering velocity. When the Rangers first signed him in 2007, his style drew comparisons to a cross between Johan Santana and Greg Maddux, and his career has reflected that profile of a crafty, contact-managing left-hander.
Notable Events and Milestones
Pérez’s most prominent milestones include his 2022 All-Star selection, his World Series championship with the 2023 Rangers, and his near-perfect game against Houston on May 29, 2022. He has also represented Venezuela in the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic, starting games and pitching in relief for his national team.
Martín Pérez Career Wins
Across his major league career, Martín Pérez has posted double-digit win totals in multiple seasons, highlighted by a 13-win season in 2017 and All-Star form in 2022. His career includes stops with six MLB organizations and a World Series title.
Major League Highlights
Pérez’s first major league win came on June 30, 2012, against the Oakland Athletics, beginning a long run of regular rotation duty in the American League. His most recent winning season came in 2022 with Texas, when he tied for one of his career-high win totals and earned his lone All-Star nod. His 2023 season concluded with a championship as the Rangers captured the World Series title.
International Performances
Pérez has represented Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, starting two games and pitching six innings in 2017 before returning to pitch in the 2023 tournament as well. Venezuela was eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2023 by the United States.
Martín Pérez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed information about Martín Pérez’s family background has not been publicly verified through the available sources, and specific names of parents and siblings are not included here. His upbringing in Venezuela shaped his introduction to baseball and supported his early pursuit of a professional career.
Personal Life
Public details about Pérez’s personal life, including spouse, children, and current residence, have not been confirmed by the available sources. He has maintained an active social media presence, including an Instagram account that shares updates on his career.
2025 Season Performance
Martín Pérez entered 2025 with the Chicago White Sox after signing a one-year, $5 million contract in January. His season began with a rotation role before a flexor strain and a later left-elbow inflammation placed him on the injured list, costing him a significant portion of the year. He returned to make additional starts in the second half of the season.
Pérez finished 2025 with a 1–6 record, a 3.54 ERA, and 44 strikeouts across 56 innings in 11 appearances and 10 starts for Chicago. A shoulder strain in September officially ended his campaign, and he subsequently declined the 2026 option in his contract to become a free agent on November 4.