TheAtlanta Braves suffered a surprisingloss to the team's rotation this week with Martin Perez being put on the injured list. This means that the first two rounds of the playoffs are off the table for a piece that has been incredibly important when it comes to stabilizing the middle of Atlanta's rotation. For Perez, it is unfortunate timing in the fact it seems the aging left hander was set up for a potential Game 3 start or at least as a bullpen option.
Perez will finish the regular season with 142.0 innings pitched in both a starting role and an early season bullpen spot. The southpaw has an ERA of 3.04 and found ways to offer innings at a time when the rotation was marred by injuries and was desperate to find starting options.
No question, the Braves are going to be in an interesting spot after starting Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle in any potential third postseason start. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Atlanta opt to utilize a bullpen game more than once piecing together innings with a relief group that has a chance to help carry Atlanta through a postseason field that is unquestionably daunting.
For Perez, you simply hope that the starter is able to get back to full health before the end of the postseason and at least contribute in a postseason role. It simply has been far too impressive of a season for the left hander to end the year without a chance to contribute to a potential October run.
Braves Losing Martin Perez at Worst Possible Time as Rotation Injuries Continue to Mount
The Braves have dealt with a massive list of injuries this season to go on top of losing their starting left fielder to suspension before the season ever truly got underway. For the Braves to make a World Series run they are going to need perfect production from the top of the rotation while the bullpen and lineup do much of the heavy-lifting.
Already, this was the case based simply on Chris Sale being the only known postseason performer currently in the rotation. It makes the next week especially entertaining as manager Wallt Weiss is given impossible decisions while having the luxury of an elite lineup to lean on.
For Perez, the 2026 season will serve as one that put his career back on track and gave the southpaw options. Atlanta simply cannot overstate the importance of the starter and it is a frustrating but fitting end in a season with rotation injuries that seemingly never end.
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