Pérez was called up to the majors for the first time on July 8, 2014. He had his first major league hit two days later against the New York Yankees. On July 10, 2014, Pérez hit his first career home run off of New York Yankees pitcher Jim Miller. , in During part of the 2015 season, he became the primary catcher while Yan Gomes was on the disabled list. Toward the second half of the 2016 season, Pérez became the primary catcher, once again, in Gomes' spot.
World Series appearance (2016)
In Pérez's first postseason at-bat of his major league career, he hit an opposite-field home run off the Boston Red Sox'sRick Porcello, helping the Indians to a 5-4 victory. In the first game of the 2016 World Series, Pérez hit two home runs in the 6-0 Indians win. Throughout the 2016 postseason, Pérez had the second-most RBIs, walks, and home runs of any Indians player.
2017–2018
On April 2, 2017, the Indians signed Pérez to a four-year contract worth $9 million, with club options for the 2021 and 2022 season worth an additional $12.5 million. In 2017 he batted.207/.291/.373. In 2018, Pérez batted.168/.256/.263. He had the lowest batting average against right-handers among all MLB hitters, at.150. Following the season, the Indians traded Gomes, opening an opportunity for Pérez to assume regular catching duties.
In 2019, Pérez established a number of career highs offensively, batting.239/.321/.452, while also being recognized for his defensive work. He revealed that he played through bone spurs in an ankle from April through the end of the season, noting that was "telling myself don’t quit. You waited for so long to play every day and now that you have the opportunity you cannot go down like this.” The batting average, SLG, and OPS were each career highs; he played in a career-high 119 games, and collected career-highs in each of hits, home runs, RBI, walks, strikeouts, and total bases. On defense, Pérez led all American League fielders with 1,082 putouts. With 20 of 49 runners thrown out on attempted stolen bases, he led AL catchers in caught stealing percentage ; he also led AL catchers with 12 double plays turned, and accumulated a 29 Defensive Runs Saved rating to lead all major leagues catchers. Following the season, Pérez received his first each of the Fielding Bible Award, Rawlings Gold Glove Award, and the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year for all fielders and at catcher. The Cleveland chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America named him the Bob FellerMan of the Year. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on October 17, 2019, to remove the bone spurs in his right ankle.
