According to Aram Leighton, the Braves have inked a minor-league contract with former All-Star left-handed pitcher Martin Perez.
The Braves and LHP Martin Perez have agreed to a Minor League deal, sources tell @JustBB_Media.
Perez, 35 in April, pitched to a 3.54 ERA in 56 IP with the White Sox in 2025. Owns a career 4.41 ERA over 14 seasons. Was an All Star with the Rangers in 2022.
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) January 30, 2026
During his All-Star campaign, Pérez recorded 5.1 WAR with a 2.89 ERA across 32 starts for the Texas Rangers. That performance earned him a qualifying offer the following offseason worth nearly $20 million, which he accepted. Since then, however, he hasn’t been able to replicate that level of production, posting a 4.45 ERA in 2023 and a 4.53 ERA in 2024.
That’s obviously not ideal, but it’s also respectable production for a pitcher likely to serve as organizational depth and spot-start when injuries arise. His numbers have also been better of late. Over the second half of the 2024 season, Pérez posted a 3.46 ERA across 10 starts with the Padres. He then logged 56 innings with the White Sox last season, pitching to a 3.54 ERA.
Assuming this move doesn’t take the Braves out of the market for another starting pitcher, there’s little not to like here. Pérez is a legitimate major-league arm with some upside, and Atlanta is bringing him in on a minor-league deal — a low-risk move with the potential for meaningful reward.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire