Former SF Giants backstop hangs up cleats after 10-year MLB career

Roberto Peréz did not have a long run with the SF Giants, but he did appear in a few games in 2023. The veteran backstop recently announced on social media that he was calling it a career after 10 MLB seasons.

Former SF Giants backstop hangs up cleats after 10-year MLB career

The Giants signed Peréz to a minor league deal right before the 2023 season. He had a few offers on the table, but decided to sign with San Francisco because they offered a path to playing time.

At the time, the right-handed bat was competing with Blake Sabol and Austin Wynns for the backup catcher spot. Joey Bart was still viewed as the everyday catcher, but that was toward the end of his run with the club.

Peréz posted a .683 OPS in 24 plate appearances that spring while making the Opening Day roster. Though, anything he offered with the bat would have been considered a bonus.

The strength in Peréz’s profile was his defense. He earned two AL Gold Glove Awards with the Cleveland Guardians in 2019 and 2020.

The 2019 season proved to be his best year in the majors, as he put up a .774 OPS with 24 home runs and 63 RBI in 449 plate appearances. He was worth 4.0 fWAR, which was largely due to his defensive value behind the plate.

The Giants hoped that he could provide reliable defense as a reserve while easing Blake Sabol in at catcher. Sabol had been relatively green with experience behind the plate.

Unfortunately, Peréz suffered a season-ending rotator cuff injury after just five games with the Giants. That proved to be his final appearance in the majors. He played for the Boston Red Sox organization in 2024, followed by a stint in the Mexican League last year.

Peréz appeared in 10 major league seasons, most notably with the Guardians. He served as one of the backup catchers on the Guardians club that reached the World Series in 2026. He also had brief stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Giants. We at Around the Foghorn would like to congratulate Peréz on his career and wish him luck in his future endeavors.