Perez's struggles continue in closing role

CLEVELAND -- Chris Perez is the Indians' temporary closer, while Kerry Wood is on the shelf. And Perez knows that if he keeps having days like the ones he turned in Sunday and Monday, his title will be even more temporary than anybody planned.

Perez followed up a blown save in Detroit on Sunday with another rough outing against the Rangers in the Indians' home opener, a 4-2 loss at Progressive Field. Brought into a game that was tied at 2 in the ninth, Perez let Texas load the bases without recording an out.

"Unacceptable," Perez said. "[The closer role] is probably not going to be mind much longer if I keep pitching like this."

Perez was bailed out Monday when Tony Sipp and Jamey Wright kept the Rangers from capitalizing on the loaded bases and preserved the 2-2 tie.

To his credit, Perez saved consecutive games in Chicago last Wednesday and Thursday. But in this two-day stretch, he's had some of the same problems he demonstrated in Spring Training camp -- namely, falling behind in the count.

"I'm not fooling anybody," he said. "It's hard to, when you're behind in the count. My arm's fine. I've got my stuff. It might be just one of those ruts. It's just a matter of battling through it."

How long manager Manny Acta will stick with Perez in the ninth inning remains to be seen. But Acta expressed confidence in Perez following Monday's 4-2 loss.

"This kid saved two games in Chicago, and everybody celebrated and was happy," Acta said. "Just because he struggled two games in a row doesn't mean we're going to run him out of town."

Perez could be run out of the closer's role in the not-too-distant future, regardless, because Wood is on the comeback trail. Wood, rehabbing from a strained muscle in his back, threw a 20-pitch bullpen session before Monday's game and will throw another bullpen on Thursday. Pitching coach Tim Belcher said the Indians were still discussing whether or not Wood will even need to go out on a rehab assignment in the Minors before rejoining the Tribe.

But Perez remains the closer for now.

"I've got the tools to do it," he said. "It's just a matter of doing it."



(mlb.com)