In the days since the stunning trade that sent OF Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets, White Sox general manager Chris Getz has followed through on his declaration that the team would be active. The White Sox finally added their closer last week, reportedly agreeing to a deal with RHP Seranthony Dominguez, though the team has not officially announced the deal. With a few roster holes remaining, speculation began on what the White Sox next pursuit might be, and Cuban baseball reporter Francys Romero may have shed some light on the South Siders next target.
Cionel Pérez held another workout on Saturday in Tampa, drawing scouts from about 20 MLB teams.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 27, 2026
The Rays, Royals, Rangers, and White Sox are among the clubs showing interest. Pérez reached 98 mph with his fastball, slider sat at 86 mph, and spin rate above average.
Perez, 29, originally signed with the Houston Astros out of Cuba before the 2017 season. He rose quickly through the farm system and made his big league debut for Houston in 2018. Despite starting in the minor leagues, Perez has exclusively been a reliever at the big league level. After pitching just 20 games at the big league level from 2018-2020, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, where he pitched in a career-high 25 games but struggled to a 6.38 ERA. Perez was claimed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles prior to 2022, where he posted a breakout season. He went 7-1 with a 1.40 ERA over 57.2 innings for the 2022 Orioles, and followed it up with a solid 3.54 mark in 53.1 innings in 2023.
Perez started to lose his control in 2024 and 2025, and was designated for assignment in May after posting an 8.31 ERA in his first 19 appearances. He was ultimately optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, where he continued to struggle to finish the season.
Perez could give the White Sox another lefty with upside
Perez is now a free agent and has been throwing bullpens for interested teams. His velocity and spin rates are still similar to their numbers during his 2022-2023 breakout, and his 3.93 xERA in 2025 indicates quite a bit of bad luck was involved in his downfall. The biggest red flag for Perez is his elevated walk rate, which has increased in each of the last four seasons, peaking at 16.4% in 2025. But there’s a lot to like in his profile despite the results not being there the past two seasons. Even during his abysmal 2025 season, Perez posted an elite ground ball rate and was excellent at avoiding barrels. His 2024 numbers showed even more success at inducing soft contact, putting him in the 84th percentile in baseball in that category.
From the White Sox perspective, adding a low-cost arm with good underlying numbers and upside feels like a no-brainer. Perez will likely be a cheap signing, maybe even a minor league deal, and his track record of success is an upside the White Sox can swing on. He throws left-handed, so he’d likely compete with the likes of Tyler Gilbert, Brandon Eisert, Chris Murphy, Ryan Borucki, and Bryan Hudson for a spot in the White Sox bullpen. None of those options are incredibly confidence-inspiring, so Perez would seem to have a decent shot to make the team.
With 20 teams reportedly watching his showcase and interest from the Rays, Royals, and Rangers reported, Perez may opt to go to a contending team. But the White Sox can offer him an opportunity and a longer leash than most contenders, which could be an ideal fit for a player looking to re-establish his value.
I’d like to see the White Sox add another starting pitcher and an outfielder to the mix before Spring Training begins, and those should easily be priorities over another reliever. But you can never have too much pitching depth, and it’s worth adding intriguing, low-cost arms just about every time.
We’ll find out shortly if Cionel Perez will become the newest member of the Chicago White Sox.