Mirroring his club, Eury Pérez’s 2026 campaign has been one of extreme highs and lows.
Slotted as the Miami Marlins’ number two arm entering the season, Pérez was initially one of the weak links in their rotation. The byproduct of too many free passes and barreled balls allowed, the 23-year-old carried an ERA of 5.33 through 10 appearances. After a five-run outing in Tampa on May 17, Pérez cried due to extreme frustration, as he recently admitted to the media.
Not only did the breakdown serve as a reset of the youngster’s mindset—conditioning him to “enjoy” his starts regardless of their outcome—but also his approach on the mound.
Since that humbling low point, it’s been a complete 180 for the rising phenom dubbed “Baby Goat.” Pérez shined yet again in Sunday’s rubber match in the notorious hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ball Park, tossing six shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds in an eventual 7-1 victory.
Pérez’s 1.80 ERA from May 18 onward is fourth-best in the majors among pitchers to log at least 60 innings. A revamped pitch mix has been the catalyst.
To say Pérez has heavily relied on his fastball and slider in the past would be an understatement. Looking at the ten-start sample earlier this season, Pérez threw the two offerings a combined 78% of the time. Neither of them were performing as well as their raw pitch characteristics suggested they should.
The solution? A sinker. It induces fewer whiffs than his other weapons, but Pérez can locate it consistently to his arm side. The movement on it reliably gets opponents to swing over the top of it and hit harmless ground balls.
Though counterintuitive, limiting the usage of his four-seam and slider has made them so much better. The same four-seam that was predictable and unusually average has a value of 11.1 runs above average since, per Statcast, third-best in all of baseball. The same slider that was a beach ball to hitters for the first few weeks of the season now sits tenth-best at 6.6 runs above average.
Pérez’s dangerously elevated walk percentage and average launch angle have trended to upper-middle of the pack among qualified starters. Relatedly, perhaps most notable of all has been his ability to keep the ball in the yard.
Truthfully, Pérez was not at his best on Sunday. He allowed baserunners in all but one of his innings. When that’s the case, opponents will look to exploit his slow delivery—Pérez leads MLB with 25 stolen bases allowed.
Against the Reds, though, he was just quick enough to the plate to give catcher Brian Navarreto a fighting chance. They teamed up to nab two runners, including the lightning-quick Elly De La Cruz.
Amazing caught stealing by Brian Navarreto 🎯
10 out of 10 level of difficulty, with Elly De La Cruz running and Eury Pérez being slow to the plate. pic.twitter.com/GP0UNdF3Gz
— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) August 16, 2026
Zooming out, Pérez’s numbers are extremely comparable to his exceptional rookie year. While both the 2023 and 2026 Marlins are contending, the training wheels are now removed. Rather than worrying about an inevitable early shutdown, the team is confidently testing his limits—he has reached 100 pitches in three of his last five outings while sustaining elite velocity.
Even this deep into his MLB career, Pérez is one of the youngest starters in the big leagues. He might not fully reach his peak for another half-decade, but the Marlins are getting a glimpse of his upside at the perfect time. Along with his mentor, Sandy Alcantara, Pérez is carrying an inexperienced roster with a short-handed rotation to a winning record far ahead of schedule.