Pérez grabs his Braves 'punch card,' then punches out career-high 10

MIAMI -- No matter whether he’s starting or coming out of the bullpen, it’s still the same red stitches on the white ball and strike zone for Martín Pérez.

“First, I am thankful to God for allowing me to be part of a Major League team, especially with Atlanta,” Pérez said in Spanish. “Such a great team and teammates. There is no ego, and that’s what's important.”

The veteran left-hander has continued to embrace his swingman role with the Braves this season, giving Atlanta stability in multiple spots while setting an example for the rest of the pitching staff. Even if it is not his preferred role, Pérez has made the most of it.

“He's been a great pro,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I told him that he's got a punch card from my office, because I'm always calling him in and telling him we're changing roles with him.”

That versatility was shown again Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta’s 8-4 win over the Marlins at loanDepot park. Pérez notched a career-high 10 strikeouts, relying on his changeup 26 times out of his 78 pitches and generating a 47% whiff rate with that offering. The changeup produced four strikeouts.

“Trust me that I didn’t even have that in mind,”​​ Pérez said. “I just simply went out there to have fun. We were feeling the pitches that were going to get strikeouts.”

Perez had to settle in after Xavier Edwards homered on the second pitch he saw in the first, sending an 85.8 mph cutter into the Marlins’ bullpen in left field. Miami added two more runs in the opening frame.

“In the first inning,” Pérez said, “I was pulling the ball into the right side of the zone and that is where they gave me some damage.”

After the first, Pérez said he reviewed video in the dugout and focused on cleaning up his mechanics by staying more over the plate instead of pitching to the edges.

His outing nearly ended in the fifth inning after a single, a fielding error and two stolen bases put two runners in scoring position with one out. Left-hander Dylan Dodd, who was reinstated from the injured list Tuesday, began warming in the bullpen as Weiss weighed a pitching change.

With the way Pérez had battled back, Weiss decided to leave him in.

“I noticed that someone was warming up, and the only thing I told myself was try to get the outs fast to stay in there,” said Pérez, who escaped the jam by whiffing the next two batters. “I think I have shown this season that I like to compete and I never waver.”

Entering Tuesday, opponents had a .091 batting average against Pérez’s changeup, the fifth-lowest BA against that pitch among 68 qualified MLB pitchers.

It was also Pérez’s sixth start in 10 appearances this season and his first since May 6 after a return to the bullpen. The southpaw has a 2.85 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 38 strikeouts across 41 innings this year. Last time Pérez pitched, he made an appearance out of the bullpen against Boston on May 16, throwing 14 pitches in relief.

Pérez has been one of Atlanta’s steadiest arms. In his previous start against Seattle, he allowed two runs over 5 2/3 innings. Outside of a four-run outing at Arizona on April 5, Pérez owns a 1.45 ERA (five earned runs across 31 innings) in his other eight games, including four starts.

The Marlins have also been a favorable matchup for Pérez throughout his career. Entering Tuesday, he was 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA across five appearances (four starts) against Miami, last facing the club on Aug. 9, 2024, while pitching for San Diego.

Mauricio Dubón, who delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth inning, said Pérez's willingness to accept any role has resonated throughout the clubhouse.

“He is a great teammate, because today he throws 10 strikeouts and tomorrow he might come in relief,” Dubón said in Spanish. “He is a big reason why we have had success this season. The happiness that he has brought has been big.”

The win helped Atlanta bounce back after dropping three of its previous five games, with the offense scoring just two combined runs across those defeats.

“It was a gritty win for us,” Weiss said. “It's a tough place to win games. It’s always a battle for us, and guys responded well.”

Atlanta improved to 13-3 following a loss this season.