Braves starter Martín Pérez is likely headed to the injured list after a 92 mph comebacker off the bat of Juan Soto ended his Sunday early, leaving Atlanta with another rotation question at a time when the group can’t afford many more.
Manager Walt Weiss said after Atlanta’s 10-9 loss to the New York Mets that X-rays on Pérez’s left forearm came back negative, but the left-hander still appears likely to miss time. The play came in the fifth inning, when Soto lined a sinker back at Pérez. Pérez stayed in long enough to record the out at first base before being removed, and Tyler Kinley took over to finish the inning.
The timing only adds to the pressure on a pitching staff that has been uneven for weeks. Outside of Chris Sale, the Braves’ starting pitching has struggled over the past month, and the team is already without Spencer Strider, who is sidelined with right elbow inflammation until late August at the earliest.
Pérez had been one of Atlanta’s steadier arms for most of the season, though his recent stretch has been less sharp. Since the beginning of June, he has posted a 4.85 ERA in six starts.
If the Braves need a replacement, the most likely name is right-hander JR Ritchie. Atlanta optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday after he threw three scoreless innings in Saturday’s 14-3 win over the Mets. What role he would fill isn’t settled yet - bullpen or rotation remains unclear - and with the Braves using a six-man rotation, the looming All-Star break may mean they won’t need to fill Pérez’s spot for long.
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