The Marlins engaged in talks with right-hander Eury Pérez over a possible contract extension this past Spring Training while he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, according to a report on Wednesday by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
While the two sides didn’t reach an agreement entering the 2025 season, a source told MLB.com to expect Miami to re-engage with Pérez’s representatives this offseason.
As evidenced by this and the recent report about the Marlins and All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers discussing a possible contract extension, the organization is showing an effort to secure their core pieces for the foreseeable future.
Miami, which saw a 17-win improvement in 2025 and wasn’t eliminated from postseason contention until the final days of the season, also intends to explore adding complementary pieces through free agency. Due to the club’s overachieving performance, the window for contention appears to be ahead of schedule and the front office is looking to capitalize on it. In addition, the entire 40-man roster is under team control for at least two seasons.
Pérez, who turns 23 on April 15, will be arbitration-eligible for the first time after the 2026 season. He cannot become a free agent until after the ‘29 campaign, when he will be 26. He shares the same agent as mentor Sandy Alcantara, who signed a five-year, $56 million extension with the Marlins in December 2021.
There aren’t many examples of starting pitchers receiving extensions before their age-23 season, and the landscape has significantly changed since that last happened. The list includes: Brett Anderson (A’s, four years, $12.5 million, 2010), Jeff Samardzija (Cubs, five years, $10 million, 2007), CC Sabathia (Cleveland, four years, $9.5 million, 2005), Julio Teheran (Braves, six years, $32.4 million, 2014), Trevor Cahill (A’s, five years, $30.5 million, 2011), Martin Pérez (Rangers, four years, $12.5 million, 2013) and Roy Halladay (Blue Jays, three years, $3.7 million, 2000).
In his return from the Tommy John procedure, Pérez once again showed the makings of an ace. He compiled a 4.25 ERA, 104 ERA+, 9.9 K/9 and 1.049 WHIP in 95 1/3 innings across 20 starts, with the latter two statistics setting career marks. Pérez finished strong, striking out 33 batters, walking just four and surrendering only one homer across 20 innings over his final four starts.
According to Baseball Savant, Pérez ranked in the 94th percentile for average fastball velocity (97.9 mph), 89th percentile for xBA (.204), 85th percentile for fastball run value (nine) and 83rd percentile for xERA (3.21) in 2025.
The spotlight has been on Pérez ever since the Marlins originally signed him for $200,000 as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic on July 2, 2019. The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder was put on the fast track to the Majors, making just 46 Minor League starts and skipping the Triple-A level.
During his rookie season as a 20-year-old, Pérez asserted himself as one of the game’s top young arms. Though a left SI joint inflammation kept him out of the National League Wild Card Series, he played a prominent role in getting the club there. In 19 starts, Pérez posted a 3.15 ERA, 149 ERA+ and 10.6 K/9 in 91 1/3 frames. He finished seventh in NL Rookie of the Year voting.
