Eury Pérez was just trying to stay loose between innings. Instead, he'll be sitting down for an extended period.
The Miami Marlins right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a right gracilis muscle strain that he sustained while stretching in the dugout during Wednesday's start against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Television cameras caught Pérez trying to stay limber while his team hit in the top of the fifth inning at Rogers Centre when he suddenly grimaced and sat down. Fellow pitcher Sandy Alcantara had to help Pérez down the steps and into the clubhouse.
Eury Perez left his start against the Blue Jays after he appeared to injure himself stretching in the dugout in between innings pic.twitter.com/CHy82iiQbN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 27, 2026
Imaging taken Thursday revealed the injury to his gracilis, a long leg muscle located near the inner thigh. He's now facing an eight-week absence, according to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.
"I was just having a conversation with our pitching coach and suddenly I felt tightness right there in my leg and I couldn't get up," Pérez said through an interpreter Wednesday, according to De Nicola. "I would say on a (pain) scale from 1-10, I would give a 10. It was very painful. I knew I was not going to be able to go (back) out there."
The bizarre injury concluded an eventful Wednesday in Toronto for Pérez. A few minutes before getting hurt in the dugout, the 23-year-old appeared to exchange words with Blue Jays manager John Schneider after hitting Kazuma Okamoto with a 97-mph sinker.
John Schneider was not happy with Eury Perez pic.twitter.com/dkjuboaL9Z
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 27, 2026
Pérez, a onetime top prospect, has dealt with numerous injuries since reaching the majors in 2023. He missed the entire 2024 season following Tommy John surgery and has yet to make more than 20 starts in a single season.
The Dominican Republic native owns a 4.60 ERA, 4.63 FIP, and 1.26 WHIP with 72 strikeouts and 28 walks across 62 2/3 innings in 2026.
Pérez's injury further depletes the 26-31 Marlins' rotation, which has already lost both right-hander Adam Mazur and No. 2 prospect Robby Snelling to season-ending elbow injuries. Top prospect Thomas White may be a potential option to replace Pérez; other choices could include Bradley Blalock, Braxton Garrett, or Dax Fulton, who are on the 40-man roster.
Miami recalled reliever Josh Ekness from Triple-A Jacksonville in a corresponding move. The team also reinstated infielder Leo Jiménez from the seven-day concussion IL and optioned Graham Pauley to Jacksonville.
