Chicago White Sox Pitcher Martin Pérez Progressing Toward Return

CHICAGO –– The White Sox are on track to welcome back a member of the starting rotation for the home stretch of the 2025 season.

Veteran left-hander Martin Pérez has been out since mid-April with a left flexor tendon strain, an injury that initially put into question whether he'd pitch again this season. But Pérez has now made two starts as part of a minor league injury rehab assignment.

The first came on Aug. 2 with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, a 2.2-inning outing with 47 pitches, four hits, two earned runs, no walks and three strikeouts. He made another start on Friday with the Double-A Birmingham Barons, tossing 59 pitches across four innings with three hits, one earned run, three walks and two strikeouts.

Pérez retired the first four batters of the game and didn't allow a hit until the third inning. After giving up a single, a double and walking a batter in the fourth, Pérez balked in his lone earned run of the game. But he got out of the jam with a strikeout in the next at-bat, signaling the end of his outing.

"It was great," White Sox manager Will Venable said. "... He felt really good. Talked to him afterwards, he was really excited. He'll have at least another rehab start there on his next turn around. But really positive report coming out of it."

Venable said Pérez's next start will come with Triple-A Charlotte, but the team has not decided exactly when he will rejoin the major league team.

"I think we'll take it start by start, but certainly want him to come back at full capacity," Venable said. "And I think more than anything having a couple starts towards full capacity for him to be able to recover and make sure that he's feeling good. I think we just give it the appropriate amount of time and let him build back. But all good stuff so far."

The White Sox signed Pérez to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million in 2025, with a $10 million mutual option for 2026 or a $1.5 million buyout, per MLB.com. He was a reliable piece to the starting rotation in the first month, posting a 3.15 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP across 20 innings. 

In addition to his performance and veteran leadership, Pérez's return could come at a good time for the White Sox. On Friday they sent Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A after he allowed 18 earned runs over his last three starts. They plan to have left-hander Tyler Alexander serve a bulk role when Cannon's spot in the rotation comes up, whether that be starting the game or coming out of the bullpen in long relief.

The White Sox also have several young pitchers who are nearing or have already surpassed their career-high innings totals, such as Cannon, Sean Burke, Shane Smith and Davis Martin. Pérez's return could help take the load off others in the rotation, though that will be determined on a game-by-game basis.

"We have talked through different solutions to make sure we're doing the right thing and kind of committed to taking it one start at a time," Venable said. "And as we've explored options to this point, shutting guys down is not something we've talked about yet. So that's just not where we're at. We're gonna find different solutions and be mindful, and again, we'll take it start by start."