Aces catcher Perez traded, promoted to big leagues

Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage
Michael Perez has played his last game with the Reno Aces. He’s a Tampa Bay Ray now.
Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage

Catcher Michael Perez was called up to the big leagues today, but not with the team Reno Aces fans expected.

Tahoe OnstageTriple-A Reno’s parent team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, traded Perez and Single-A right-handed pitcher Brian Shaffer to Tampa Bay for right-handed reliever Matt Andriese. Perez is in the lineup tonight in the Rays game at Baltimore.

Perez, 25, appeared ready for the majors during his 58 games with the Aces this season. He has quick feet and hands and has prevented a number of wild pitches. He is especially adept at snagging way-high fastballs. He allowed just two passed balls on the season. He threw out 31 percent (14-of-43) of would-be base stealers.

The left-handed hitter was batting .284. A native of Puerto Rico, he was the Dbacks’ third-round pick in 2011. Perez is an intense player who usually wears a scowl underneath his catcher’s mask. But his play made Aces fans smile. With Perez in the lineup, the Aces won 29 times.

Arizona is in a pennant race and carries three catchers on its roster. It sent two prospects to the Rays for bullpen help. Andriese, 28, is in his fourth big league season. He has a 3-4 record in 27 games with a 4.07 ERA. He is capable of starting for the Dbacks. He has four starts with Tampa Bay this year and 99 in his career.

Arizona’s bullpen blew a five-run lead today and lost to the Chicago Cubs. Andriese was in uniform but did not play.

Shaffer was 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in Single-A. He was a third-round pick in 2017.

The Aces are 50-53 and on a road trip, playing tonight in New Orleans. They return to the Biggest Little City on Wednesday, Aug. 1 for a seven game home stand. Shortstop Ildemaro Vargas is on a 24-game hitting streak.

–Tim Parsons and Isaiah Burrows

Tim Parsons / Tahoe OnstageTahoe Onstage

Tahoe Onstage
Reno’s starting battery — Taylor Clarke and Michael Perez — go over charts with pitching coach Gil Heredia before a recent game.
Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage

Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage

ABOUT Tim Parsons

Tim Parsons
Tim Parsons is the editor of Tahoe Onstage who first moved to Lake Tahoe in 1992. Before starting Tahoe Onstage in 2013, he worked for 29 years at newspapers, including the Tahoe Daily Tribune, Eureka Times-Standard and Contra Costa Times. He was the recipient of the 2011 Keeping the Blues Alive award for Journalism.

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