Wandy Peralta contract: Lefty reliever's four-year deal with Padres, explored

Left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta has reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with the San Diego Padres. According to ESPN, the contract will pay him $16.5 million in the next four years, with an opt-out option for the first three seasons. However, the deal hasn't been finalized since the physical is pending.

He is coming off the best season of his eight-year career, posting an ERA of 2.83 and a 1.4 WAR with 51 strikeouts across 54 innings. He spent the last three years with the Yankees and posted an ERA of 2.82.

Not quite a strikeout arm, Peralta relies on his changeup-sinker combo that induces ground balls and weak contact. However, his 13.2% walking rate has been a little concerning, and coupled with his 5.05 FIP, it only adds to the worry. But if the lefty can control his fastball issues, he will come out big in a division boasting powerful left-handed hitters.

Wandly Peralta's fit with the Padres?

When it comes to bullpen, the Padres lack big names and they lost their closer, Josh Hader, in free agency. However, they got a chunk of pitchers in a move that sent Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the Yankees. Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe joined the Padres.

The Padres are expecting Robert Suarez to fill the void left by Hader after an injury-riddled 2023 season. Peralta will join Japanese left-hander Yuki Matsui, Korean right-hander Woo-Suk Go, Tom Cosgrove, Steven Wilson and Enyel De Los Santos in the bullpen, which should set it up nicely for Suarez.

Moreover, Peralta and Matsui should be valuable additions for the Padres, as they only had one left-handed, reliable option in Cosgrove.

The only thing that will concern the Padres is the experience of the bullpen. Matsui and Go haven't pitched in the majors and Suarez has been injury-prone in the last few seasons. With Peralta, they should sense a sigh of relief.

It remains to be seen how Peralta stabilizes this bullpen and covers for the lack of big names.