BALTIMORE — Left-hander Cionel Perez 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.
Perez had asked for $1.4 million and the Orioles had offered $1.1 million when the sides exchanged proposed salaries on Jan. 11.
Twenty-one 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.
Perez 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.
