Braves' Wealth of Pitching Exposed by Jettisoned Starter

Veteran Martin Perez's strong early-season performance highlights the Braves' deep rotation options.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:56pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the motion of a baseball pitcher, with sharp geometric planes in the Braves' navy blue and red colors, as well as the Phillies' red and white, conceptually representing the depth of Atlanta's pitching staff.The Braves' wealth of pitching talent forces difficult roster decisions, as evidenced by the team's ability to part ways with a productive starter like Martin Perez.Philadelphia Today

The Atlanta Braves' 9-0 blowout win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday featured a standout outing from veteran pitcher Martin Perez, who tossed six scoreless innings just days after being designated for assignment by the team. Perez's strong performance underscores the Braves' incredible pitching depth, as the team has a surplus of talented starters vying for limited rotation spots.

Why it matters

The Braves' ability to part ways with a pitcher like Perez, who has a 2.21 ERA through 20.1 innings this season, speaks to the team's wealth of pitching options. As the rotation gets healthier, the Braves will have to make difficult decisions on which starters to keep, highlighting the team's enviable depth and the challenges facing veteran pitchers like Perez who are trying to stick with the club.

The details

Perez was designated for assignment earlier this week but opted to become a free agent before re-signing with the Braves on a minor league contract. He was then quickly recalled to the major league roster and delivered a strong performance against the Phillies. With injured starters like Spencer Strider on the mend and top prospects like Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach pushing for roster spots, the Braves will soon have to choose from a deep pool of talented pitchers to fill out their rotation.

  • Perez was designated for assignment earlier this week.
  • Perez re-signed with the Braves on a minor league contract and was quickly recalled to the major league roster.
  • Perez tossed six scoreless innings against the Phillies on Friday, April 19, 2026.

The players

Martin Perez

A veteran pitcher who was recently designated for assignment by the Braves but re-signed and delivered a strong outing against the Phillies.

Spencer Strider

An injured Braves starter who is currently on a rehab assignment and nearing a return to the major league roster.

Hurston Waldrep

A top Braves pitching prospect who is pushing for a spot in the major league rotation.

Spencer Schwellenbach

Another Braves pitching prospect who is making a case for a roster spot.

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What’s next

When the Braves' rotation is fully healthy, the team will have to choose five starters from a deep pool of options that includes Waldrep, Perez, Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Strider, Chris Sale, and Bryce Elder.

The takeaway

The Braves' ability to part ways with a productive pitcher like Perez highlights the team's incredible pitching depth, which will force them to make difficult decisions on their rotation as injured starters return and top prospects push for roster spots. This is a welcome problem for the Braves, who are in a strong position to make a deep postseason run.