Reds vs. Marlins Friday MLB probable pitchers, odds: Top Miami pitching prospect Eury Perez set at 4.5 strikeouts in big-league debut

If the Miami Marlins would probably become National League contenders if they could ever find some decent hitting, because the organization is stocked with impact starting pitching, led by 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. Another potential front-line starter is set for his big-league debut Friday as 20-year-old right-hander Eury Perez faces the visiting Cincinnati Reds. Miami is a -140 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook, and Perez is set at over/under 4.5 strikeouts.

MLB.com ranks the 6-foot-8, 220-pound Perez as the No. 10 prospect in the sport and No. 3 pitcher behind Philadelphia's Andrew Painter, who hasn't debuted in the majors yet due to injury, and Baltimore's Grayson Rodriguez, who is in the Show. The Marlins signed Perez for $200,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2019.

He is given an overall grade of 70 on a scale of 20-80 for his fastball, which can touch 100 mph, and his changeup has also gotten 70 grades. The Marlins are apparently so impressed they aren't even making Perez make a stop at Triple-A on the minor-league ladder. In his second season this year at Double-A Pensacola, Perez was 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA and an 0.81 WHIP in six starts. In the past four, he had a 1.23 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 22 innings.

In his brief minor-league career – there was no minor-league season at any level in 2020 due to COVID – Perez is 9-9 with a 2.85 ERA in 44 starts with only 122 hits allowed and 260 strikeouts in 186 innings. Batters hit .183 against him.

Perez will become the youngest pitcher in franchise history (20 years, 27 days old), surpassing the late José Fernández (20 years, 250 days), who debuted in 2013. Alcantara, also from the Dominican Republic, is Perez's mentor and the Cy Young winner was the one who delivered the message that Perez was being called up:

"I have bad news for you," Alcantara said in Spanish. "I am going to have to see your face every day now. My brother, do you think you are ready to pitch in the Majors? I'm happy for you, an opportunity well deserved. I'll see you soon. Love you, man."

Perez is +4000 at DraftKings to win NL Rookie of the Year. Dodgers outfielder James Outman is the +135 favorite. Perez has only pitched 186 total minor-league innings and has yet to surpass 78 innings in a season, so he surely be used sparingly this year in Miami. In fact, some Marlins beat writers are speculating he will be sent back down when fellow pitchers Trevor Rogers and/or Johnny Cueto come off the injured list.

Clearly, the oddsmakers aren't sure how long Perez will pitch Friday, as the strikeout total is the only prop currently offered on him at the book.

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