Left-hander Cionel Pérez and Orioles avoid arbitration, agree to $1.2 million, 1-year contract

BALTIMORE (AP) — Left-hander Cionel Pérez and the Baltimore Orioles avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $1.2 million, one-year contract on Monday, a deal that allows him to earn $4.3 million over two seasons.

Baltimore has a $2.2 million team option for 2025 that has additional escalators that has $900,000 in available escalators based on statistics this year. The option price could increase by $100,000 for innings: $25,000 each for 55, 60, 65 and 70. It could go up by $800,000 for games finished: $50,000 each for 20 and 25, $100,000 apiece for 30 and 35, and $150,000 each for 40, 45 and 50.

Pérez had asked for $1.4 million and the Orioles had offered $1.1 million when the sides exchanged proposed salaries on Jan. 11.

Twenty players remain scheduled for hearings, which start next week, including Orioles outfielder Austin Hays, first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, left-hander Danny Coulombe and right-hander Jacob Webb.

Pérez was 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA and three saves in 65 relief appearances last year, striking out 44 and walking 27 in 5 1/3 innings. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time after earning $732,300 last year.

Baltimore also acquired infielder Tyler Nevin from the Detroit Tigers for cash on Monday.

Nevin played for the Orioles in 2021 and 2022 before they dealt him to the Tigers, also for cash. He hit .200 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 41 games last season. Now the Tigers are sending him back to Baltimore.

He is a son of former Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin.

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