AnalysisMartín Pérez had his start cut short by a comebacker that hit his forearm. Brett Davis / Getty ImagesJuly 5, 2026 Updated 6:27 pm EDTATLANTA — Despite negative X-rays on his left forearm, Braves starter Martín Pérez is likely to on the injured list after a 92 mph comebacker from Juan Soto cut his Sunday short, manager Walt Weiss revealed following Atlanta’s 10-9 loss to the New York Mets.In the fifth inning, Soto struck a sinker back at Pérez, who was able to get the out at first base before being pulled. Tyler Kinley replaced Pérez and finished the frame.Pérez’s looming absence adds more worries about the rotation, as outside of Chris Sale, the starting pitching has struggled over the past month. The staff also lost Spencer Strider to right elbow inflammation until late August at the earliest.Since the beginning of June, Pérez has a 4.85 ERA in six starts, but for the most part, has been a reliable starter for Atlanta.The most likely option for the Braves is right-hander JR Ritchie, who was sent down to Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday after pitching three scoreless innings in the Braves’ 14-3 win over the Mets on Saturday. It’s unclear if Ritchie will pitch out of the bullpen or in the rotation, as the Braves have been operating with a six-man rotation, but with the All-Star break looming, they may not need to cover Pérez’s spot.