Martín Pérez had more than 17 years in professional baseball and had never been traded before the Padres acquired him in the minutes before last month’s deadline. The Pirates had not given the 33-year-old left-hander a heads-up that they were even talking about trading him when fans in Houston began relaying word of the deal while he threw on the field on July 30.
Pérez did not get emotional. He’d only signed with the Pirates in January. But he also heard where he was going immediately — to the Padres and a bit higher in the NL wild-card standings.
He will not have a chip on his shoulder when he faces his old Pirates teammates on Wednesday.
“No, I understand this is a business, man,” Pérez said. “There’s nothing you can do. They decided to trade me because maybe there’s not room for me, but I’m really proud to be a part of this team. I think it was a good move. I think it’s a good moment for this team and I’m glad to be a part of this.”
He’s played a big part, too, accounting for quality starts in each of his two appearances with the Padres — both wins for the team.
In those starts, Pérez has struck out 13 against two walks while holding opposing hitters to a .504 OPS over 13 innings (2.08 ERA). His curveball usage has jumped from 10.4 percent with the Pirates to 24.1 percent since connecting with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla.
Yet Pérez said he began looking at upping the curveball usage toward the end of his time in Pittsburgh, where he had a 5.20 ERA over 83 innings.
Hitters have a .216 batting average and a .243 slugging percentage against that pitch this season.
“I can throw any pitch for a strike and I can move the ball really good,” Pérez said. “I think you go out there and it doesn’t matter how hard you throw. It’s where are you going to throw your pitches. I don’t have the velocity I used to have, but I have experience. I can see what the hitter is looking for or what pitch they want to swing at. I think I’m pitching. I’m not throwing. That’s really cool and mentally I’m strong and I feel good.”
As far as Wednesday’s reunion start, opposite old teammate Mitch Keller, “It’s going to be a fun game,” Pérez said, “but I’m going to do my job. Now I play for the Padres and they need me to do my thing.
“I think that’s my job, to go out there and throw quality innings and try to win a game.”
A Darvish sighting
The Padres still do not know if Yu Darvish will return this season, but he’s been keeping his arm in shape, as confirmed by a report from The Athletic that the veteran recently threw a live batting practice at a San Diego-area high school.
Darvish is on the restricted list while dealing with a family matter that the team is not addressing.
Padres manager Mike Shildt said he’s been in touch with Darvish via interpreter Shingo Horie. He’d been contending with a groin issue and then elbow soreness that had delayed his return from his second stint on the injured list this season.
“Shingo has been saying he’s been doing well from a personal standpoint,” Shildt said. “I have not asked one thing about how what he was doing from a baseball perspective, but did hear (he threw). He’s feeling good enough to organize his own live batting practices and back to a healthy standpoint to be able to do that.
“Clearly that’s encouraging for him, physically, but my intent for Yu Darvish is how he’s doing as a human.”
Notable
OF Jackson Merrill was named the National League Player of the Week after blasting four home runs with eight RBIs in his last six games. Three of the home runs tied the game in the eighth inning or later during the Padres’ 5-1 road trip.
- To make room for RHP Joe Musgrove’s return from the 60-day injured list to make Monday’s start, RHP Carl Edwards Jr. was designated for assignment. Edwards appeared in just one game with the Padres, allowing a hit, walking two batters and throwing a wild pitch on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
- 3B Manny Machado was out of the lineup for the first time in 50 games for a scheduled rest day.
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