MLB
Wandy Peralta signs four-year contract with the Padres
The former New York Yankees player will be one of San Diego’s luxury relievers after the departure of Josh Hader to the Houston Astros.
The San Diego Padres have a squad that is good enough to compete in the MLB National League after the departure of Juan Soto to the New York Yankees and Josh Hader to the Houston Astros.
Now, the Friars have reinforced its bullpen with the addition of a former Yankees player. According to a report by Jon Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Padres agreed to a four-year contract with pitcher Wandy Peralta. Based on the report, the left-handed reliever will receive $16.5 million and will be able to terminate his contract early at the end of each of the first three seasons. For the agreement to be completed, Peralta must pass the relevant medical examinations.
The Dominican pitcher is coming off one of his best years in the Major Leagues. He appeared in 63 games, pitched 54 complete innings and posted a 2.83 ERA after allowing 17 runs and striking out 51 of the 227 batters he faced.
This is what the Padres bullpen looks like with the arrival of Wandy Peralta
The Padres 2023 bullpen will have a different look in 2024, but there will be some familiar faces, like Tom Cosgrove and Robert Suárez, and some new ones, like the Korean Woo -Suk Go and the Japanese Yuki Matsui.
Juan Soto’s departure sent three pitchers to San Diego, but only Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez are relievers who will be in the bullpen. Steven Wilson, Alek Jacob and Logan Gillaspie should take on a larger role among San Diego’s relievers.
On 11 January, Soto signed an agreement for a record $31 million in his last year of salary arbitration - the most lucrative contract for an arbitration-eligible player in the history of the Major Leagues, surpassing the $30 million deal which Shohei Ohtani struck with the Los Angeles Angles last year.