The Atlanta Braves agreed to a minor league deal with veteran pitcher Martín Pérez on Friday, according to Just Baseball’s Aram Leighton.
Pérez is going into his 15th season and will presumably be at big league camp in the spring. He has pitched in over 300 MLB games and could be a solid addition to the Braves’ pitching staff. Last season, he started 11 games in the big leagues for the Chicago White Sox.
He dealt with inflammation in his throwing elbow last season and ended up on the injured list. He also dealt with a flexor strain but returned to the team in August. He had a 3.54 ERA in 56 innings of work with 44 strikeouts for the White Sox. He could be a solid depth arm or turn into a trade chip for the Braves down the line.
He made 26 starts in 2024 between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. He had a 4.53 ERA that season and worked 135 innings.
Having played for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Pirates, White Sox and Padres, the Braves have a chance to be the seventh big league team he has pitched for. The Braves have five capable starters in the rotation already between Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep.
However, injuries happen, and Pérez is a low-risk signing with plenty of experience in the big leagues. How he performs in the spring will dictate how the Braves use him.
More MLB: Dodgers Star Pitcher’s Opening Day Status Not Certain: Report