MIAMI — Starting pitchers often isolate themselves, plug in their headphones and focus on their game plan on the day of their outing. That was the opposite of what Martín Pérez did before the Atlanta Braves’ 8-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
The veteran left-hander walked into the visitors clubhouse at loanDepot Park with a smile — decked out in a cheetah print shirt, baggy jeans and sparkling black sneakers — and eagerly greeted his teammates and shared laughs with members of the local Spanish-speaking media. The behavior was far from typical, but so was the outing the 35-year-old assembled hours later.
In the 285th start of his 15 years in the major leagues, the Venezuelan left-hander threw the first double-digit strikeout game of his career, with 10. The demeanor he displayed pregame propelled his performance.
“I wasn’t thinking about the 10 strikeouts,” Pérez said in Spanish postgame. “I just went out there and had fun. I knew what pitches I needed to use to strike out, and I went out there and executed.”
Pérez got off to a suspect start. He gave up a solo homer to Xavier Edwards and a two-run double to All-Star outfielder Kyle Stowers. He gave up one more run in the third.
But when he noticed activity in the bullpen as the fourth inning began, he locked in. He wanted to prove that he should remain in the game. When he returned in the fifth inning, there was no more movement.
Then the Marlins put men on second and third with two out. When outfielder Esteury Ruíz came to the plate, left-hander Dylan Dodd was warming up.
Manager Walt Weiss had a decision to make: Bring in Dodd or keep Pérez. He chose the latter.
“Martín had earned the right to face that last hitter,” Weiss said.
Pérez got Ruíz to chase a 90 mph fastball up-and-away for the 10th strikeout of his outing. Pérez yelled twice before pumping his fist and walking back to the dugout to an ovation from his teammates. Elsewhere in the stadium, his family cheered him on from a suite.
“I’m just thankful to be part of a big-league team, especially one like the Braves,” said Pérez, who gave up five hits and two walks in five innings. “It’s a tremendous team filled with amazing people.”
Pérez signed a minor-league deal with the Braves just weeks before spring training, wanting to prove he still had the talent to be a productive big-league pitcher after being limited to 56 innings in the majors last season because of elbow inflammation and a shoulder strain.
He didn’t make the Braves’ Opening Day roster, but he was added after the first series. After three solid outings, the Braves designated him for assignment. He elected free agency on April 14 but was back on Atlanta’s major-league roster two days later.
The reunion turned out to be a savvy decision. Pérez has arguably been one of the Braves’ most valuable arms, pitching four times out of the bullpen and making six starts.
Only a few years removed from posting a 2.89 ERA over 32 starts as an All-Star in 2022 and winning a World Series with the Texas Rangers the next year, he’s embraced the swingman role.
“He’s got a punch card for my office, because I’m always calling him in and telling him we’re changing roles with him,” Weiss said. “Going to and from the bullpen into the rotation, sometimes on late notice based on our need, he’s done it with a smile.”
Pérez has had a decent career since debuting with the Rangers at 21 years old in 2011, but he has had to re-establish himself multiple times. He’s back to doing so with Atlanta, and he has shown he still has enough in the tank to help a team win.
“The Braves let me know my role in spring training,” said Pérez, who has a 2.85 ERA and has held batters to a .193 average in 41 innings. “I’m prepared for anything. Whether it’s out of the bullpen or starting in games.”
After Pérez was done on Tuesday, Didier Fuentes entered the game in relief. It was the first time he had pitched on back-to-back days. As a 20-year-old with only four MLB games under his belt before this season, the rookie is experiencing a lot of firsts. But having Pérez as a role model has enhanced his development.
“He’s helped so much,” Fuentes said in Spanish. “Seeing him pitch and everything he’s done in his career serves as motivation for me. He teaches me something new every day, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.”
