Martin Pérez keeps turning what looked like a depth signing into one of the Braves’ best stories of the season.
The 35-year-old came to Atlanta on a minor-league deal in the offseason and didn’t exactly look like a sure thing to crack the roster out of Spring Training. Then the injuries hit. Hurston Waldrep, Spencer Strider, and Spencer Schwellenbach all went down, and the Braves suddenly had real holes to patch in the rotation.
Even then, Pérez wasn’t the obvious answer. Not for the long term, and apparently not even for the front office that brought him in.
He opened the 2026 season with three solid outings, putting up a 3.14 ERA, and still got designated for assignment in a move that caught plenty of people off guard. Then came the moment that may have changed everything: Pérez cleared waivers. Atlanta let him go, and no other team in the league was willing to jump in and claim him, despite the constant demand for starting pitching around baseball.
Pérez wasn’t happy about it, but he and his agent ultimately decided the best move was to come back to Atlanta. That decision has worked out just fine for the Braves.
Outside of Chris Sale, nobody has been more dependable from start to start than Pérez, and Tuesday was another reminder why. He threw six scoreless innings when Atlanta needed stability most.
The Braves’ bats didn’t give him much help early. They had just one hit through the first seven innings and managed only two runs for most of the night. Then Matt Olson gave them breathing room with two outs in the eighth, launching his 35th homer of the season off the Chop House to tie for the league lead.
Olson has a real case for MVP consideration, even if Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong are the names standing in the way. But the night belonged to Pérez, who stretched his scoreless innings streak to 18.0. That run includes a start a couple of weeks ago when he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning.
His ERA is now back under 3.00, and he’s piled up nearly 3.0 WAR. If the postseason started tomorrow, there’s a strong argument he should start Game 2 behind Sale.
For the Braves, it’s become one of the season’s best surprises - and a big reason they’re looking at a Phillies team that is miles back in the rearview mirror.
In Other News...
Braves Could Push For A Star Shortstop Rival Fans Would Hate
The Braves are already being connected to one of the more intriguing offseason questions on the market, and shortstop sits near the center of it. Atlanta has a chance to look for an upgrade there, and the kind of player who could move the needle is the sort who usually costs real prospect capital and then some. In division deals have never been the norm, but they have become more common lately, which is why this conversation has at least some traction.
One name hovering around that search is a young shortstop who could become available if his current club cannot lock him up long term. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: a chance to target a player with upside at a position of need, even if doing so would mean dealing with a rival and putting together a package strong enough to make them listen. It is the kind of possibility that can reshape the rest of the winter if the Braves decide to press hard enough. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Injured Starters Are Progressing But One Return Loos Large
The Braves finally have some movement on the pitching injury front, even if the updates come with plenty of caution attached. Spencer Strider and Hurston Waldrep, both sidelined by elbow inflammation, have avoided surgery and have started throwing programs, while Spencer Schwellenbach has begun bullpen work as he tries to build back toward a possible return this season.
Reynaldo Lopez may be the most immediate name to watch, which matters for a staff that has spent too much time piecing things together. He is recovering from knee inflammation and appears closest to coming back, with the Braves also considering using him out of the bullpen instead of sending him straight back into the starting rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Reynaldo Lpez Could Force A Braves Pitching Decision That Changes Everything
The Braves are entering the kind of pitching puzzle teams usually hope to have in September, when injured arms start filtering back and the staff begins to take shape for October. Reynaldo Lpez is right in the middle of it after a recent bullpen session, and Atlanta is weighing how best to use him as the rotation picture gets more crowded with pitchers returning and the postseason roster coming into focus.
Lpez remains a name to watch because the Braves still have to decide whether his next value comes from starting games or helping out of the bullpen, and that choice could ripple through the rest of the staff. AJ Smith-Shawver has also reinserted himself into the conversation after a strong rehab outing with Gwinnett, while Spencer Schwellenbach is another piece the Braves are evaluating as they try to sort out who fits where when the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]