Luis Perdomo Taking Advantage of Time in El Paso
Credit: USA Today Sports
Tacoma, Washington
Luis Perdomo was demoted after four starts earlier this season.
He has watched Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer come up and find success in the Padres’ rotation. Heading into Monday’s start in Tacoma, Perdomo had made five starts for El Paso with a 3.09 ERA. His 1.8 walk rate is a great sign as he struggled with command at the big league level, with a 5.79 walk rate.
Perdomo was humbled and sent down, but he was not deterred from improving his craft.
Since he was a Rule 5 Draft selection, he had not spent much time in the minor leagues. In fact, he went from High-A ball in 2015 in the Cardinals’ organization to being thrust into the Padres’ big league rotation in 2016, where there was understandably a learning curve.
He recorded a 5.71 ERA and 4.84 FIP in 35 appearances in 2016. The right-hander then took steps forward in 2017, after a year of major league service under his belt, posting a 4.67 ERA and 4.40 FIP.
In 2018, Perdomo got off to a rough start with an 8.36 ERA.
Unsurprisingly, he was sent down after his start on April 18. The pitcher has yet to have a start last fewer than six innings in El Paso this season. On May 4, he pitched a complete game three-hitter. If the Padres need a starter soon, and history indicates they will, Perdomo may be earning at least another chance to prove himself.
Luis Perdomo gets through a 1-2-3 first inning but not before a scare from 2008 World Series champion Jayson Werth here. Renfroe makes a nice grab at the wall! #Padres #EVT @EVT_News pic.twitter.com/Qra74e9lNC
— Nick Lee (@NickLee51) May 22, 2018
A major league rotation is always in flux and Perdomo will likely see big league action again this season. He had never thrown a pitch in the minor leagues above High Single-A until this season. It’s encouraging to see him humbled in going from two seasons in the big leagues down to Triple-A, and he is giving it all he has.
Luis Perdomo 2, Jayson Werth 0. Luis Perdomo through 4 innings and has faced the minimum (only hit was caught stealing). #Padres @EVT_News #EVT pic.twitter.com/Xa6t4RT3pY
— Nick Lee (@NickLee51) May 22, 2018
On Monday night, Perdomo was solid once again. He faced the minimum through four innings, striking out four. He met some resistance in the fifth as an error allowed a runner to reach in front of a two-run homer. He bounced back to get out of the inning without further damage. In the sixth, he loaded the bases on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, but tight-roped out of it. He couldn’t quite get through the seventh inning, but gave El Paso a good effort, leaving in a 2-2 game after 6 2/3 innings, his sixth start of at least six innings for El Paso.
Perdomo is showing marked improvement, and it may merit a call-up sometime soon.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.