The Braves got a late jolt of bad news before their series finale against the Reds: Martin Perez is headed to the injured list with back inflammation.
Walt Weiss said Perez felt the pain in his last start in Houston, and the veteran is hoping he can make it back sometime in October if Atlanta goes on a deep playoff run. For a team that’s about to enter the postseason, it’s the kind of setback no one wants to absorb this late in the year.
Perez had quietly become one of the steadiest arms in the Braves’ rotation. He finished the regular season with a 3.04 ERA across 142 innings, giving Atlanta exactly the sort of dependable production it needed. There was always a sense he might come back to earth eventually, but he kept answering every assignment.
His value was especially clear at Truist Park. Perez posted a 1.80 ERA at home this season, and over his last six starts that number dropped all the way to 0.28. He wasn’t supposed to be the headline act, but those numbers made him awfully important, especially with the postseason around the corner.
Before the injury, Perez looked like Atlanta’s No. 3 starter, the guy who would likely take the ball in a winner-take-all Game 3 if the series got that far. Now that role shifts to Grant Holmes, who becomes the Braves’ No. 3 starter behind Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle.
Beyond those three, the Braves are expected to lean on bullpen games until Perez is ready again. AJ Smith-Shawver appears to be the only other starter likely to make the playoff roster for the Wild Card Series, while JR Ritchie is also in the mix if Atlanta gets desperate.
It’s a tough blow, but not one that has to break the Braves’ postseason plan. This club has already navigated major injuries, including the Spring Training losses of Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Hurston Waldrep.
Atlanta has enough pitching to keep moving forward for now, but the margin is thin. One more hit to the rotation would make that depth look even shakier.
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