Pérez blanks Mets in encouraging night for Braves' pitching

ATLANTA -- One week after being criticized for not adding a frontline starter before the Trade Deadline, the Braves are being asked whether there might soon be room for Reynaldo López and AJ Smith-Shawver in their starting rotation?

It’s not that the Braves suddenly have an overabundance of options for their injury-depleted rotation. It’s just that this rotation that has been described as thin doesn’t currently have any glaring holes.

Martín Pérez certainly doesn’t have reason to worry about losing his rotation spot to either of these pitchers. The 35-year-old lefty ran his scoreless streak to 18 innings and benefited from Ozzie Albies’ fifth-inning homer in a 4-0 win over the Mets at Truist Park on Tuesday night.

Matt Olson made sure Pérez’s effort wouldn’t go to waste when he hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning. Olson now has 35 homers, tying him with Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez for the MLB lead.

Pérez’s 18 consecutive scoreless innings stands as MLB’s third-longest active streak among starting pitchers, trailing only Drew Rasmussen (20 IP) and Sandy Alcantara (20 IP). Not bad for a hurler who came to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee and then re-signed with the Braves after being designated for assignment in April.

While Pérez was limiting the Mets to four hits over six scoreless innings, Smith-Shawver was recording seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Gwinnett in Norfolk. As for López, he spent Tuesday afternoon throwing a bullpen for the first time since he was placed on the injured list (retroactive to July 30) with left knee inflammation.

Smith-Shawver was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after making an emergency start during a July 29 doubleheader against the Mets. So, the right-hander, who is still essentially rehabbing from last year’s Tommy John surgery, could return at any point after Friday without having to replace an injured player on the active roster.

López is eligible for activation on Saturday, but he said, “No,” when asked about the possibility of returning this weekend. Still, the pending returns of these two pitchers could benefit both the Braves’ rotation and bullpen.