Boston Red Sox top pitching prospect Luis Perales is set to undergo Tommy John surgery next week, as reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. This surgery will sideline the young right-hander for the rest of this season and likely much of 2025. Perales had earned a spot on the Red Sox’s 40-man roster in November due to his impressive performance.
Ranked as Boston’s ninth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, Perales left a recent Double-A Portland start due to an elbow injury. Subsequent tests confirmed the need for surgery. This was only his second start with Portland after beginning the year at High-A Greenville, where he posted a 3.42 ERA in seven starts. In 2023, he showed promise by splitting his time between the Complex League and Single-A, pitching 89 2/3 innings over 21 starts with a 3.91 ERA and a 29.3% strikeout rate, though he had a high walk rate of 12.7%.
In 2024, Perales excelled at High-A, achieving a 2.84 ERA, a 38.9% strikeout rate, and reducing his walk rate to 8.3%. His progress has been notable, but the need for Tommy John surgery is a significant setback. Since Perales is in his first of three option years after joining the 40-man roster, he will have one option year remaining by the end of 2025. However, players who miss significant time due to injury are often granted a fourth option year.