The Nationals acquired Perales from the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for Jake Bennett, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
It's a prospect-for-prospect trade. Perales missed a large chunk of 2024 and nearly all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's wowed with his stuff since returning, regularly reaching triple digits with his fastball. The 22-year-old has thrown a total of 9.2 innings beyond A-ball and has a career 12.3 percent walk rate in the minors, but Perales' upside is huge.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Monster stuff on display
Rotowire
Perales averaged 98.6 mph and touched 99.8 mph with his four-seam fastball in his most recent appearance for Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 20.
Perales, who underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2024, logged a total of 2.1 innings across Double-A and Triple-A, with his first appearance coming Sept. 13. His numbers aren't pretty in this tiny sample (7.71 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4:3 K:BB), but Perales' stuff is all the way back and then some, with his fastball not only offering premium velocity but elite movement. He leans heavily on his nasty 90-mph cutter and also mixes in a mid-80s slider, so it's a power arsenal in a small package -- Perales is listed at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds. He only has 8.1 career innings at Double-A and 1.1 innings at Triple-A, so it's unclear which of the upper-minors levels Perales will be assigned to in 2026, but on pure upside, he's right there with any pitcher who has yet to reach the majors.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Sent to minor-league camp
Rotowire
The Red Sox optioned Perales (elbow) to minor-league camp Friday, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Perales is still working his way back from last June's Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old has begun a throwing program but is not expected to pitch in minor-league games until 2026.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Tommy John surgery completed
Rotowire
Perales (elbow) underwent a full UCL reconstruction surgery last week, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
As anticipated, Perales required a traditional Tommy John surgery to repair the damage ligament in his right elbow rather than an internal brace procedure. As a result, Perales is unlikely to be ready to pitch late in the 2025 season, whereas an internal brace procedure would have resulted in a shorter timeline that could have put him in line to pitch at some point after the All-Star break in 2025. The 21-year-old -- who is regarded as one of the Red Sox's top pitching prospects -- should be back to full health in advance of spring training in 2026.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Dealing with elbow inflammation
Rotowire
Double-A Portland placed Perales on its 7-day injured list Sunday with right elbow inflammation, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
The 21-year-old suffered the injury during his start Saturday, and the initial diagnosis of inflammation is an encouraging development. Perales has yet to undergo an MRI, and it remains to be seen if that will be necessary.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Exits start with injury
Rotowire
Perales was removed from Saturday's start at Double-A Portland with an injury to his throwing arm, Geoff Pontes of Baseball America reports.
Perales stepped off the mound after throwing a pitch and was hanging his throwing arm. He was visited by a trainer for a brief moment before exiting to the dugout. Saturday's outing was just Perales' second at Double-A and he tossed five scoreless innings with seven punchouts in his Portland debut. An update on his status should come later this week.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Red Sox optioned Perales to Triple-A Worcester on Friday.
The 20-year-old was added to Boston's 40-man roster in November in order to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but he was never a realistic candidate to make the Opening Day roster. Perales split last season between the Single-A and High-A levels, posting a 3.91 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 115:50 K:BB across 89.2 innings.
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Red Sox's Luis Perales: Put on 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Red Sox selected Perales to their 40-man roster Tuesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Perales is only 20 years old and still pretty far away from reaching the majors, but Boston has opted to protect him from being plucked away in next month's Rule 5 Draft. The young right-hander posted a 3.91 ERA and 115:50 K:BB over 89.2 innings (21 starts) this past season between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville.
