Cincinnati Reds: Wandy Peralta is now the San Francisco Giants problem

Wandy Peralta was claimed off waivers yesterday. The Cincinnati Reds now need to focus on finding a left-hander who can actually be a productive piece out of the bullpen.

It was a long time coming, but the Cincinnati Reds finally rid themselves of left-hander Wandy Peralta. The southpaw was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants yesterday, ending his four-year stay in the Queen City.

Perlata, much like Zach Duke before him, was David Bell‘s only alternative to left-hander Amir Garrett out of the bullpen. When the game was in the balance, you could be sure that AG would be on the hill against left-handed batters, but it’s impossible to run Garrett out there every single game.

Enter Wandy Peralta. Who, outside of one good month in 2017, was not a very productive pitcher. Peralta was sitting opponents down during April of 2017. The southpaw was dealing with an ERA of 1.54 and 17 strikeouts in 11.2 of work. But Peralta’s success in the big leagues was short-lived.

The remainder of the 2017 season was not nearly as productive. Over 57 games, Peralta went 2-4 with two blown saves and an ERA of 4.25. In 53 innings, Peralta struck out just 40 batters and walked 22, while opposing batters were touching him up to the tune of .251 with a .415 slugging percentage. Peralta also allowed 7 round trippers.

Peralta finished the 2017 with a 3.76 ERA in 69 relief appearances. Peralta’s FIP was just 4.16, so that 0.40 difference is essentially negligible. Peralta did have a 120 ERA+ that season, so it stands to reason why the Cincinnati Reds thought that he could be an effective piece out of the bullpen. But, it was not to be.

Over the last two seasons, in 98 appearances, Wandy Peralta owns a 5.67 ERA, a WHIP of 1.765 and an ERA+ of 77. Peralta has just 58 strikeouts to 46 walks during that period and gave up 12 home runs, 10 of which left the yard this season.

Peralta was schedule for arbitration this offseason, and after the terrible season he put on display, was likely to be non-tendered this offseason rather than retained. Peralta will finish out the 2019 season with the San Francisco Giants, who are now out of postseason contention themselves and look to rebuild in 2020.

Hopefully, for Peralta’s sake, he can regain some of the magic that he flashed while toeing the rubber early during the 2017 season. As for the Cincinnati Reds, one of their biggest holes entering the upcoming offseason is another left-handed option out of the bullpen not named Amir Garrett.