Advertisement<\/p>\n
Given, rubber matches have been no problem for the Braves through the first two months of the season. They\u2019ve won seven of their eight deciding games of series and still haven\u2019t lost a series at home, a perfect 8-0-0.<\/p>\n
Mart\u00edn P\u00e9rez (2-2, 2.85 ERA) will be called upon to continue that run in this series finale. He\u2019s making a second consecutive start without a relief appearance in between for the first time since April 28 and May 6.<\/p>\n
While P\u00e9rez\u2019s role has been a bit wonky, he\u2019s handling it exceptionally well. He allowed a season-high-tying four runs Tuesday at Miami<\/a> \u2014 three of them coming in the first inning \u2014 but still grinded out five innings and set a new career high of 10 strikeouts \u2014 no small feat for a 15-year veteran.<\/p>\n In 10 appearances (six starts) this season, P\u00e9rez has a career-best 2.85 ERA and a career-best 1.000 WHIP. When you look at his Statcast profile, there\u2019s no one area that jumps out in terms of his effectiveness. But he just keeps providing strong-enough spot starts or relief appearances.<\/p>\n P\u00e9rez doesn\u2019t have a particularly strong history against the Nationals. He\u2019s 1-2 with a 6.20 ERA in six appearances (four starts), striking out 20, walking seven and allowing six homers. He faced them out of the bullpen back on April 22, allowing two solo homers in three innings of work of the Braves\u2019 8-6 win.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n He\u2019ll be facing off against Washington\u2019s Foster Griffin<\/a> (5-2, 4.02) in a battle of left-handers. Griffin is back in the United States this season after spending the last three in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants. He returned to the majors on a one-year deal with Washington.<\/p>\n That return has gone well through the first few months. He\u2019s one of just three Nationals pitchers to make 10-plus starts and his ERA is 16 hundredths behind Cade Cavalli<\/a> for the best among starters on the team.<\/p>\n However, he\u2019s come back down to earth a bit in the last few starts after a very strong start to the season. He\u2019s allowed 14 runs over 9 1\/3 innings in his last two starts (five in five innings vs. the Mets<\/a> on May 19 and nine in 4 1\/3 against Cincinnati<\/a> on May 14). He allowed two home runs in each of those starts and has allowed 10 in as many starts this season.<\/p>\n That\u2019s potentially music to the ears of a Braves lineup still looking for his first homer of the series and which has scraped across just two total runs in regulation of the first two games against Washington this weekend.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Griffin made his first career start against the Braves back on April 21, allowing three runs over six innings and earning the win in Washington\u2019s 11-4 win.<\/p>\n Game Info<\/p>\n Game Time:\u00a0Sunday, May 24th, 4:10 pm EDT<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/62b9c51aef94215cb7cb1cc54d06ee43.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n