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MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez was first with the news this afternoon that the Washington Nationals and veteran left-hander Oliver Perez have reportedly agreed on a 2-year/$7M that brings the southpaw back to the organization he pitched for while reviving his career back in 2011:
Source: Reliever Oliver Perez has agreed to a two-year deal worth $7 million with the Nationals. Check https://t.co/mkcBseoZWQ
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) December 4, 2015
Perez, 34, pitched at Double-A Harrisburg in the Nats' system in 2011, putting up a 3.09 ERA, a 4.83 FIP, 27 walks (3.21 BB/9) and 58 Ks (6.90 K/9) in 75 ⅔ IP.
The one-time San Diego Padre, Pittsburgh Pirate and New York Met moved on to the Seattle Mariners after the 2011 season and pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Houston Astros in 2015, going (2-4) with a 4.17 ERA, a 3.30 FIP, 15 walks (3.29 BB/9) and 51 Ks (11.20 K/9) in 41 innings over which he held left-handers to a .194/.242/.290 line and right-handers to a .296/.410/.457 line.
Several other sources have since confirmed the news:
Oliver Perez has deal with nats, $7M, 2 yrs
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 4, 2015
Can confirm @JesseSanchezMLB #Nationals have signed Oliver Perez for 2 yrs, $7M. So he is back in the NL East. #Mets
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) December 4, 2015
FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal added the following notes on the news of the Nationals' signing and their pursuit of free agent reliever Darren O'Day:
#Nationals’ signing of lefty Perez, first reported by @JesseSanchezMLB, does not affect pursuit of righty O’Day as they reconstruct bullpen.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 4, 2015
However, #Nationals do not expect to be high bidder for O’Day, per sources. Hoping he takes less because his wife works for Fox News in D.C.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 4, 2015