"Thankfully, he is alive, well, and still stronger than most of us," Eduardo tweeted. "Social media has created too many people pretending to be reporters (without) doing basic fact-checking. Thank you to all who called."
In September 2024, Eduardo was emotional as he announced during "SportsCenter" that he had learned of the death of Pete Rose at age 83.
The Big Red Machine and Great Eight star later went on to coach and manage the team.
Take a look at the Hall of Famer, All-Star and World Series champion through the years.
May 1966: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez takes a look at his little slugger and his wife, Juana, at Good Samaritan Hospital. Victor Perez is their first child.
See every story in Sports ā including breaking news and analysis.
Aug. 15, 1966: Reds first baseman Tony Perez' son Victor, three months old, missed all the action but got the chance to catch up on some shut-eye at the team's annual father-son game
Sept. 10, 1968: Waiting patiently, Victor Perez stands by while Mom serves him chicken and yellow rice as father Tony Perez, Reds' third baseman, watches.
June 1970: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez in action at Crosley Field.
Oct. 12, 1972: Happiness is winning the National League, as evidenced by these locker room expressions of Johnny Bench (left) and Tony Perez.
July 26, 1974: "Beautiful, Tony, Beautiful!" That's what Reds manager Sparky Anderson must be saying to Tony Perez after dramatic game-winning homer in the Riverfront Stadium opener.
March 22, 1975: Tony Perez signs autographs for fans.
Oct. 7, 1975: Tony Perez hits a home run.
Tony Perez gets a congratulatory hand slap from Pete Rose after a three-run homer.
April 8, 1976: Tony Perez.
June 1976: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez in action at Riverfront Stadium.
May 5, 1978: Tony Perez, then a Montreal Expo, was at first to help Pete Rose celebrate his 3,000 hit.
April 1984: Tony Perez clowns around testing his tight pants.
Sept. 17, 1984: Schottzie the elephant takes a bow for Tony Perez, Mrs. Larry Paul, Mr. Paul and Mrs. Perez, from left.
May 14, 1985: Tony Perez had plenty to smile about after his sixth-inning pinch-hit grand slam beat the Phillies.
July 1, 1986: Tony Perez in the Red's clubhouse.
Oct. 7, 1986: Marge Schott jokes with Tony Perez at a press conference.
Oct. 30, 1992: New Reds manager Tony Perez hugs general partner Marge Schott.
1993: Cincinnati Reds manager Tony Perez (left) stands with general manager Jim Bowden (right) during spring training.
March 5, 1993: Tony Perez wears that trademark smile as he readies for his first game as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
2000: From left, Tony Perez, Carlton Fisk and Sparky Anderson hold up their plaques at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in Cooperstown, NY.
2000: Hall of famer Johnny Bench gives new Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Tony Perez a kiss after he gave his speech at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
Sept. 22, 2002: Tony Perez, Barry Larkin, Sparky Anderson and Johnny Bench prior to the start of the final Reds game at Cinergy Field.
June 20, 2009: Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez, who was part of the "Big Red Machine," talks to former NBA basketball player Oscar Robertson before the MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon at the Duke Energy Center.
July 23, 2016: Hall of Famer and Reds great Tony Perez waves to the crowd during the Parade of Legends down Main Street in Cooperstown, NY.
June 26, 2025: Tony Perez walks the red carpet at the Big Red Machine 50th Anniversary VIP Reception at the Aronoff Center for the Arts.
June 27, 2025: Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez waves to fans during the Big Red Machine Parade at Great American Ball Park.
1 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
The Big Red Machine and Great Eight star later went on to coach and manage the team.
Take a look at the Hall of Famer, All-Star and World Series champion through the years.
2 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
May 1966: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez takes a look at his little slugger and his wife, Juana, at Good Samaritan Hospital. Victor Perez is their first child.
3 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Aug. 15, 1966: Reds first baseman Tony Perez' son Victor, three months old, missed all the action but got the chance to catch up on some shut-eye at the team's annual father-son game
4 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Sept. 10, 1968: Waiting patiently, Victor Perez stands by while Mom serves him chicken and yellow rice as father Tony Perez, Reds' third baseman, watches.
5 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
June 1970: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez in action at Crosley Field.
6 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Oct. 12, 1972: Happiness is winning the National League, as evidenced by these locker room expressions of Johnny Bench (left) and Tony Perez.
7 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
July 26, 1974: "Beautiful, Tony, Beautiful!" That's what Reds manager Sparky Anderson must be saying to Tony Perez after dramatic game-winning homer in the Riverfront Stadium opener.
8 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
March 22, 1975: Tony Perez signs autographs for fans.
9 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Oct. 7, 1975: Tony Perez hits a home run.
10 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Tony Perez gets a congratulatory hand slap from Pete Rose after a three-run homer.
11 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
April 8, 1976: Tony Perez.
12 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
June 1976: Cincinnati Reds first baseman Tony Perez in action at Riverfront Stadium.
13 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
May 5, 1978: Tony Perez, then a Montreal Expo, was at first to help Pete Rose celebrate his 3,000 hit.
14 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
April 1984: Tony Perez clowns around testing his tight pants.
15 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Sept. 17, 1984: Schottzie the elephant takes a bow for Tony Perez, Mrs. Larry Paul, Mr. Paul and Mrs. Perez, from left.
16 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
May 14, 1985: Tony Perez had plenty to smile about after his sixth-inning pinch-hit grand slam beat the Phillies.
17 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
July 1, 1986: Tony Perez in the Red's clubhouse.
18 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Oct. 7, 1986: Marge Schott jokes with Tony Perez at a press conference.
19 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Oct. 30, 1992: New Reds manager Tony Perez hugs general partner Marge Schott.
20 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
1993: Cincinnati Reds manager Tony Perez (left) stands with general manager Jim Bowden (right) during spring training.
21 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
March 5, 1993: Tony Perez wears that trademark smile as he readies for his first game as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
22 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
2000: From left, Tony Perez, Carlton Fisk and Sparky Anderson hold up their plaques at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction ceremony in Cooperstown, NY.
23 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
2000: Hall of famer Johnny Bench gives new Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Tony Perez a kiss after he gave his speech at the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction ceremony.
24 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
Sept. 22, 2002: Tony Perez, Barry Larkin, Sparky Anderson and Johnny Bench prior to the start of the final Reds game at Cinergy Field.
25 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
June 20, 2009: Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez, who was part of the "Big Red Machine," talks to former NBA basketball player Oscar Robertson before the MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon at the Duke Energy Center.
26 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
July 23, 2016: Hall of Famer and Reds great Tony Perez waves to the crowd during the Parade of Legends down Main Street in Cooperstown, NY.
27 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
June 26, 2025: Tony Perez walks the red carpet at the Big Red Machine 50th Anniversary VIP Reception at the Aronoff Center for the Arts.
28 / 28
Tony Perez, Cincinnati Reds Big Red Machine legend and Hall of Famer
June 27, 2025: Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez waves to fans during the Big Red Machine Parade at Great American Ball Park.
Tony was among former teammates with Rose one day earlier during Rose's final public appearance, at the Music City sports collectibles and autograph show in Nashville, Tennessee.
Eduardo played for the Reds for parts of three seasons, from 1996 to 1998.
Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez waves to fans during the Big Red Machine parade at Great American Ball Park in 2025.
Former Cincinnati Reds player Tony Perez waves to fans during the Big Red Machine parade at Great American Ball Park in 2025.
Tony played for Cincinnati from 1964 to 1976, and again from 1984 to 1986. He managed the Reds for 44 games in 1993.
