The Atlanta Braves are staring down a brutal NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers with their starting pitching plan in absolute shambles, and it just got a whole lot worse. Turns out, veteran All-Star Martín Pérez is officially off the roster for the entire series.
This is a major league gut punch, especially when you’re going up against a team like the Dodgers. Pérez, who’s on a $3.5 million contract this season, went down with lower back inflammation during the final week of the regular season, landing him on the 15-day injured list. At first, there was some talk, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote, that he might be eligible to return for Game 3 if his IL move was backdated to Monday. But even that was called “optimistic” for a potential return before the NLCS.
The Rotation Is Getting Hammered
Braves manager Walt Weiss met with the media on Friday to talk about the series, and he confirmed what everyone was dreading. Pérez is simply not going to be back for the NLDS. He’s still dealing with that injury, and the team needs him healthy if they want to go deep. It’s a huge hit to lose him for “this huge series,” as the source puts it.
But wait, there’s more bad news for the rotation. Bowman also confirmed that Bryce Elder won’t be on the roster for the NLDS either. So that’s two starting arms gone! Weiss did mention Lane Thomas as a “possibility” for the Division Series, which, hey, at least it’s something. But when you’re losing key starters, a “possibility” doesn’t exactly instill confidence.
Who’s Stepping Up Against LA?
With Pérez and Elder out, the Braves are going to have to lean hard on guys like AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie. These two are apparently going to need to “really eat some innings” in the first two games. Against the Dodgers, in the NLDS, that’s a massive ask. The stakes are through the roof, and the pitching staff just got way thinner.
So, the Braves are staring down the barrel of a massive NLDS without their $3.5 million All-Star. It’s LA, it’s the postseason, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. If they can somehow get past the Dodgers, maybe, just maybe, Pérez and Elder will be back for the NLCS. But first, they’ve gotta figure out how to navigate this pitching nightmare against a stacked Dodgers lineup.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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