Eury Pérez allowed seven hits and four runs with two walks and nine strikeouts over five innings in a loss to the Braves on Wednesday.
All of Pérez’s strengths and weaknesses were on display in this tantalizing start. His nine strikeouts matched a season-high and his 18 swings-and-misses were one shy of the same feat. He forced at least three whiffs with four different pitches and his whole repertoire looked nasty. Yet, the command of his secondary stuff wavered here and he didn’t trust them enough in when he needed to. Case and point, three of the four runs he allowed came in the second inning. He allowed three hits and a walk that frame and between all four plate appearances, he threw two combined breaking balls. Part of that is because some of those hitters were left-handed, but he went away from his changeup too quickly during a nine-pitch battle against Ozzie Albies that ended in a walk and started the rally. Nevertheless, Pérez has been on a tear since coming off the injured list in late June with 49 strikeouts, 14 walks, and a 2.30 ERA across 47 innings. He’s lined up for a two-start week coming up against the Pirates and Reds.
