The Arizona Diamondbacks made a quiet but intriguing bullpen move over the weekend, claiming right-hander Grant Holman off waivers from the Oakland Athletics. To make room on the 40-man roster, the D-backs shifted lefty AJ Puk to the 60-day injured list as he continues recovering from UCL revision surgery.
Holman, 25, is still early in his big-league journey. Drafted by Oakland in the sixth round back in 2021, he broke into the majors in 2024 and has since pitched in 40 games, logging 38.2 innings.
The numbers so far-4.66 ERA, 33 strikeouts, 18 walks, and a 1.58 WHIP-don’t jump off the page, but they tell only part of the story. Holman’s 2025 season was disrupted by a bout of rotator cuff tendinitis in his right shoulder, limiting him to 22 appearances and 23 innings.
He posted a 5.09 ERA over that stretch, with 17 strikeouts and a 1.52 WHIP.
Still, there are flashes of upside here. Before his injury, Holman showed he could miss bats at a high rate.
He threw 9 1/3 scoreless innings at Triple-A last season, striking out 31% of the batters he faced-a promising sign for a team looking to bolster its bullpen depth. His pitch mix is built around a mid-90s four-seam fastball, complemented by an 87 mph splitter and a slider.
He also mixes in a sinker, though it’s more of a change-of-pace option than a primary weapon.
For the Diamondbacks, this is a low-risk, potentially rewarding pickup. Their bullpen picture heading into Spring Training is still taking shape, especially with both Puk and Justin Martinez expected to open the season on the injured list.
That opens the door for Holman to compete for a spot alongside a mix of veterans and young arms. Michael Soroka and Paul Sewald bring experience, while names like Kade Strowd and Andrew Hoffmann represent the next wave.
Holman will head into camp with a shot to carve out a role. If he doesn’t crack the Opening Day roster, he’s likely to start the year in Triple-A, where he’ll be on call if the big-league bullpen needs reinforcements.
This move fits into a broader strategy for Arizona, which has been steadily reinforcing its pitching staff this offseason. The D-backs brought Paul Sewald back on a one-year deal, added Joe Ross on a minor league contract, and re-signed ace Zac Gallen. Holman may not be a headline acquisition, but he adds another layer to a bullpen that’s still very much in flux-and that could be exactly where opportunity lies.