A Veteran Finds His Rhythm
Truist Park was quiet for the visiting Mets on Tuesday night. Martín Pérez kept them that way, extending his scoreless streak to 18 innings. That’s massive for a pitcher who began the year as a non-roster invitee. He nearly got cut in April before re-signing with the club, yet now he’s the anchor of a rotation that looked shaky just weeks ago. The 4-0 win over New York proves the Braves have found a reliable arm. According to MLB.com Braves, Pérez allowed just four hits over six scoreless frames. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three. The Mets had no answer for his changeup or his sinking fastball. This performance gives the front office a major boost in confidence.
The support around him was solid, too. Ozzie Albies broke the tie with a fifth-inning homer. Matt Olson added a two-run shot in the eighth to seal the deal. Olson now has 35 home runs. According to MLB.With the Braves, this figure places him in a tie for the league lead alongside Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez. The offense is finally clicking when it counts. Pérez has the third-longest active scoreless streak among all starters in baseball. Only Drew Rasmussen and Sandy Alcantara have longer runs at 20 innings each. That is elite company for a player who almost left the team.
Depth Behind the Starter
The story of this win goes deeper than just one pitcher. While Pérez was dominating on the mound, AJ Smith-Shawver was working hard in Norfolk. Over 5 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Gwinnett, he recorded seven strikeouts. Smith-Shawver is still recovering from Tommy John surgery he had last year. He was optioned down after an emergency start against the Mets on July 29. Now, he is ready to return at any point after Friday. According to MLB.For the Braves, he is able to return without requiring an injured player replacement on the active roster. This flexibility is a luxury few teams have. It means the Braves have a ready-made arm waiting in the wings.
Reynaldo López also took a step forward. He spent Tuesday afternoon throwing a bullpen session. This is his first time throwing since he went on the injured list. The list was retroactive to July 30 due to left knee inflammation. These updates suggest the rotation is getting healthier by the day. The team doesn’t need to panic about the back end of the rotation anymore. They have internal options that are close to being game-ready. This depth was missing during the early struggles of the season.
The Path Forward
The Braves needed a win like this to stop the slide. The rotation depth was a major question mark entering the week. Now, that question has a clear answer. Pérez has shown he can eat up innings and keep the score low. The young arms in the minors are close to helping out. The team is looking more like the squad that won the title in 2021. That championship team was built on pitching and timely hitting. Tuesday night felt like a return to that identity. The Mets are a tough division rival, and blanking them is a strong statement.
Pérez is proving his value, and the backups are getting closer. The Braves have a chance to climb back into the playoff race.
Sources: Battery Power (SBN Braves), MLB.com Braves (official)
