Eury Pérez: Triumphant return to MLB after Tommy John with strikeouts and emotions

Pittsburgh, PA. – Eury Pérez, the Dominican pitcher, starred in a much-anticipated return to the Major Leagues after 628 days of absence. The match took place at PNC Park, where Pérez served as the starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Pérez showed flashes of his ability on the mound, managing to strike out five batters in three innings. Although the result of the game was a 10-3 defeat in favor of Pittsburgh, Pérez’s return was celebrated as an emotional and physical success by both the player and the coaching staff.

This is my comeback. I’m back on the mound. I know the results weren’t what I expected, but I really believe I’m going to have better results in the future.

Eury Pérez

The game started promisingly for the 22-year-old right-hander, who struck out Oneil Cruz in the first inning. He threw a total of 70 pitches, with 32 exceeding 98 miles per hour and eight reaching or exceeding 99 mph, indicating good recovery and physical form. However, in the third inning, Pérez struggled, allowing four runs after two walks, a single, an infield hit, and a triple by Bryan Reynolds. Despite this, he managed to close out his performance by striking out the last two batters.

Perhaps it wasn’t the exit he had in mind, but he should be very proud of the work he has done. This is just the beginning of his comeback.

Clayton McCullough, Marlins Manager

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough highlighted the importance of the moment and the young pitcher’s re-adaptation process, emphasizing the speed of his fastball and the effectiveness of his sliders. In addition, he mentioned that the command will improve over time, as Pérez accumulates more repetitions. Pérez, who remains the youngest starting pitcher in MLB this season, returned to the same stage where in 2023 he was deactivated alongside Sandy Alcántara, his mentor and compatriot, before the postseason. Both underwent the same surgery a few months apart. In an emotional gesture, Pérez honored his grandmother, Juana Pichardo, by wearing her name on his cap and behind the mound as a source of inspiration in this new stage of his career.