After allowing just one run in 10 dominant innings, left-hander Cesar Perdomo is proving he belongs in the San Francisco Giants rotation.
Questions remain about what the San Francisco Giants’ pitching staff will look like in 2027, but Cesar Perdomo may have forced his way into that conversation.
The 24-year-old left-hander capped an impressive first week in MLB by throwing six scoreless innings against the New York Mets in his first career start on Sunday.
Perdomo surrendered only three hits and a walk while striking out four, although San Francisco eventually lost 4-2.
His MLB debut came on Sept. 1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Perdomo worked four innings in relief, allowing one run on one hit (one home run) while striking out four and walking a batter.
Overall, he’s given up only one earned run in his first 10 innings with the Giants.
A promising future
The sample size is extremely small, but it has been impressive enough to make both the Giants and their fans want to see more.
Perdomo received his opportunity when rosters expanded on Sept. 1.
His performance against Pittsburgh clearly made an impression and earned him the chance to start Sunday.
He took full advantage.
Perdomo retired 11 of the final 12 hitters he faced and did not allow a Mets runner to reach scoring position during his six innings.
Manager Tony Vitello praised the young pitcher afterward.
According to Bill Ladson from MLB.com, Vitello was impressed by Perdomo’s poise, awareness and veteran-like approach on the mound.
“There was a lot of poise to him,” Vitello said. “He showed a lot of savvy. He looked like a veteran pitching.”
Perdomo now owns an 0.90 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with eight strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings across two appearances (one start).
Opponents are hitting only .182 against him.
What makes the early success even more intriguing is that Perdomo was not nearly as dominant in the minor leagues.
He went 9-6 with a 4.43 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in 120 innings over 24 appearances (22 starts) in Double-A and Triple-A.
He had a much better line at Double-A, where he posted a 3.98 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 90 strikeouts in 72.1 innings across 15 appearances (13 starts). When he moved up to Triple-A, he didn’t fare that well. He had a 5.10 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 47.2 innings over nine starts.
Those numbers make it far too early to draw conclusions about his long-term future, but his first MLB appearances have been both surprising and impressive.
Perdomo’s composure
Perdomo has shown an ability to control situations rather than allow traffic or pressure to speed him up.
That matters for a young pitcher trying to establish himself.
His left-handed delivery also gives San Francisco another different look, while his ability to work both as a starter and reliever adds flexibility.
Perdomo has already demonstrated that he can adapt to different assignments without appearing overwhelmed.
The next step will be proving that his command and poise can hold up once hitters begin adjusting to him.
For now, he has earned more opportunities.
