The Atlanta Braves have moved on from veteran starting pitcher Martín Pérez after the lefty threw just three games for the team. While Pérez did not make the Opening Day roster, he was added to provide some depth after top pitching prospect Didier Fuentes covered four innings in relief.
With the club set to face their NL East foes for the first time in the coming weeks, it seems clear that the club is favoring their youth to cover those innings. Although Dylan Dodd is getting the callup, the Braves will certainly make one more move before fifth spot in the rotation comes around.
The #Braves today recalled LHP Dylan Dodd to Atlanta and designated LHP Martín Pérez for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 12, 2026
Braves move on from veteran Martín Pérez, rotation spot up for grabs
Although Pérez didn't begin the year in the rotation, taking over Fuentes's long relief spot when he came up, he quickly took the fifth spot in the rotation, swapping places with José Suarez after the former Angel struggled in the fifth game of the season. While Pérez's overall stats look adequate, with a 3.14 ERA in 14.1 innings, those who watched could tell he was a ticking time bomb.
The 35-year-old ranked in the third-percentile in average fastball velocity, while also ranking in the ninth-percentile in Whiff%. His 3.77 K/9 was the lowest in the majors among pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched. He also only had a 37% ground ball rate.
With both J.R. Ritchie and Didier Fuentes dominating AAA, the Braves likely calculated they would be better off moving on from Pérez, while also adding some depth for the bullpen until Pérez's spot in the rotation was up. Ritchie and Fuentes offer much more upside with swing-and-miss stuff, while having a similar floor as the 15-year veteran.
The Braves, of course, still have a few days to make their decision. For now, they've turned to Dylan Dodd, who has a 6.75 ERA in his 5.1 innings with the Stripers this year, to offer some extra length out of the bullpen.