Former Kansas City Royals pitcher dies at 44 after apparent accident at his house
.JPG "Kansas City Royals starter Odalis Perez delivers against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Wednesday, July 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ORG XMIT: MACK102")
Odalis Pérez, who spent a season-and-a-half with the Royals in the 2000s, died Thursday at the age of 44, the team said.
ESPN reported Pérez died after an apparent fall at his home in the Dominican Republic. Pérez’s attorney, Walin Batista, told ESPN no one else was home at the time of death.
“Around 7 p.m., his brother Cristian Perez arrived at the house and found Odalis lying in the patio,” Batista told ESPN. “We don’t know yet the cause of his death, but everything seems to indicate Odalis slipped down a ladder. This is a tragedy.”
On the way to a 100-loss season, the Royals in July 2006 swung a trade with the Dodgers, acquiring a much-needed starting pitcher.
Pérez, who had been an All-Star and twice collected double-digit victories for LA, was plugged into the Royals rotation, replacing Jimmy Gobble.
“The Kansas City Royals are saddened by the loss of Odalis Pérez. We join his mother Viterba, brothers Roberto, Carlos and Franklin, sons Odalis Jr. and Odalis Angel, and daughter Ambar Avelina in mourning the loss of our friend,” the Royals wrote in a Twitter message.
Perez had a 10-15 record in 38 starts for the Royals in 2006-07, with a 5.59 ERA. He struck out 112 batters and walked 68 in 204 1/3 innings.
In his final appearance with the Royals, Pérez pitched five shutout innings, allowing just three hits to the Oakland A’s in a 7-3 win on Aug. 18, 2007.
After that season, Pérez was granted free agency and finished his MLB career with the Washington Nationals in 2008.
Pérez finished his time in baseball by pitching two seasons in the Dominican Professional Baseball League. That organization also mourned Pérez’s death.
“The Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic (LIDOM) mourns the death of pitcher Odalis Pérez, who played with the Leones del Esgido and the Estrellas Orientales,” a translation of the tweet reads.. “Our condolences to all his family and friends. Peace to your soul.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 11:25 AM.
