Blue Wahoos to honor Eury Perez's legacy with bobblehead night
Not many 20-year-olds in professional sports have been honored with their own bobblehead night.
Then again, not many have been like Eury Perez.
The Miami Marlins rookie pitching star, who dazzled his way in Pensacola these past two years with the Blue Wahoos, will have his likeness featured on Friday in a special, limited-edition, collectable for Eury Perez Bobblehead Night when the Blue Wahoos face the Chattanooga Lookouts at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
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The first 1,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive the unique item, which has Perez holding the Blue Wahoos’ 2022 Southern League championship trophy. It is being provided by game sponsor Kia Autosport of Pensacola.
Perez, meanwhile, will be on the mound Friday night in Washington, D.C. when the Marlins face the Washington Nationals. Perez will be making his 16th Major League Baseball start for the Marlins. He has seen and liked his bobblehead, signing a group of the collectables during his recent stop in Pensacola.
Perez is 5-4 with the Marlins with a 2.68 earned run average that is second-best in MLB among all qualifying rookies. The Detroit Tigers’ star reliever Tyler Holton is the only rookie pitcher with a lower ERA (2.05). Perez is by far the leader among rookie starters and his ERA is eighth lowest among all starters in MLB.
He is only the fourth pitcher in MLB history at his age or younger to have multiple starts with 6-plus innings pitched, two or fewer hits and 0 earned runs in a single season.
The Blue Wahoos planned the Eury Perez Bobblehead night prior to the 2023 season, well before anyone got to see Perez become a focus of new stars in MLB.
“I had to check the bio to make sure he was 20 years old,” said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, speaking to media members after Perez struck out 10 batters, his most for the Marlins, on Aug. 19 in Dodger Stadium. Perez allowed just two hits, no runs, no walks in six innings.
“I couldn't believe it. He's (Sandy) Alcantara-lite, and I know that he's got a good person to follow, and he's got a bright future, man. He’s special,” Roberts said.
“He was pretty good in the first half (of season), really good in the first half, but against an offense like this, maybe (this was his best start)” said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker to media members that day. “I think the only time he's been really hit was against the (Atlanta) Braves’ offense (on July 1). But (the Dodgers') offense is right there with the Braves’ offense up and down the lineup.”
Perez followed that performance with a seven-strikeout, one-run allowed on Aug. 26 in Miami against the Nationals.
With the Blue Wahoos earlier this year, Perez was 3-1 in eight starts with a 3.19 ERA. He returned in July while taking a pause in this MLB career to pitch twice for the Blue Wahoos in limited innings.
A year ago, Perez helped the Blue Wahoos win their first Southern League championship. In the deciding game against the Tennessee Smokies that night, he struck out the first eight batters he faced.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Eury Perez Bobblehead Night
WHO: Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Blue Wahoos
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
WHEN: First pitch at 6:35 p.m.
GIVEAWAY: The first 1,000 fans will receive a Eury Perez Bobblehead collectable, provided by game sponsor Kia Autosport of Pensacola.
TICKETS: www.bluewahoos.com/tickets
Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Blue Wahoos to have Eury Perez Bobblehead Night
