Braves Martin Perez Carries No-Hit Bid into Seventh, Wins 8-3 Over Nationals

When a knee injury turned Saturday night into a last‑minute drama, the Atlanta Braves found their hero in Martín Pérez.

At Truist Park on August 1, 2026, the Braves were set to start Reynaldo López. A sudden left‑knee issue during warm‑ups forced the coaching staff to look elsewhere. One hour before the first pitch, Jeremy Hefner called Pérez into the manager’s office, explaining that López had gone down.

Pérez, a left‑handed veteran who earned a 2022 All‑Star nod and a 2023 World Series ring with the Texas Rangers, was slated to start the next day. "I was taking a nap and then I went to the bathroom, and I hear my pitching coach yelling, ‘Martín,’ and I was like, ‘They traded me,’ but then he told me Reynaldo López got something in his knee,’" he recalled.

The former non‑roster invitee agreed to step in on short notice, entering the game with a 59‑pitch count. He carried a no‑hit bid through the sixth inning, a feat the franchise had not seen since Kent Mercker’s 6‑0 shutout of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994. The Braves’ offense, led by Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Dominic Smith, supplied eight runs, ensuring a 8‑3 victory.

The no‑hit streak ended in the seventh when Brady House lined a two‑out single to right field. Pérez finished with a single hit, six strikeouts, and seven scoreless innings. "It was one of the best games of my career," he said after the game.

Manager Walt Weiss lauded the performance. "He was obviously way off of his routine, but that was an unbelievable performance. He’s an unbelievable teammate, a warrior, all those things," Weiss remarked.

The Braves’ rotation has been under scrutiny as the trade deadline looms. López’s injury added to concerns about depth. The team had already been eyeing a starting pitcher before Monday’s 6 p.m. ET deadline.

Pérez’s season has been solid: a 3.24 ERA over 97 1/3 innings, his tenth outing of seven or more innings this year, and only the second such outing since May 20. He was originally a non‑roster invitee in spring training and re‑signed with Atlanta after being designated for assignment in April.

The injury was reported by head athletic trainer George Poulis, who rushed to Weiss’s office. "George came crashing into my room, kind of like Kramer from Seinfeld," Weiss recounted. "And he said, ‘López can’t pitch.’ So we were just kind of looking at each other."

Pérez declined an opener, insisting he needed to prepare as a starter. "I called my wife about three minutes before I went out there to warm up, and I was like, ‘You’ve got to come to the game.’ She was like, ‘Why?’ I was like, ‘Because I’m pitching tonight.’ She was like, ‘Why are you pitching?’ I was like, ‘Because we have nobody else.’"

The bullpen and lineup performed well, with the offense providing ample run support. Defensive play also shone: Pérez retired nine of the first ten batters and handled two errors from shortstop Jim Jarvis in the first four innings.

With the trade deadline approaching, the Braves’ front office will need to evaluate their pitching options. The current rotation includes Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, and JR Ritchie, but López’s injury may prompt additional moves.

For now, the Braves can celebrate a strong performance from Martín Pérez and a solid win over the Nationals. The game will be remembered for Pérez’s near no‑hitter and the team’s resilience in the face of a sudden roster change.

The Braves’ next game will be against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, with Pérez scheduled to start again.