Grant Holmes has become the kind of rotation problem the Braves can’t ignore much longer. His 2025 breakout was a fun story, but this season has gone the other way, and the elbow decision to rehab instead of having surgery looks a lot less encouraging now. At this point, Atlanta is basically asking for more than three innings every time Holmes takes the ball.
Even when he turns in a serviceable outing, the warning signs are still there. Against Texas on Sunday, he lasted five innings and allowed three runs, which is workable on paper, but the contact was loud and the bat-missing stuff just wasn’t there. That’s the bigger issue: Holmes looks more like a long reliever than someone the Braves can trust to cover starter innings.
That’s why Reynaldo Lopez looms so large in all of this. If Atlanta is going to clean up the rotation, Lopez may be the arm that makes the whole thing fit.
His move back into the rotation had been trending in the right direction aside from one start just before the All-Star break. The Braves clearly weren’t pushing him too hard with the pitch count, but he was efficient, and the stuff looked sharp. Even his rougher outing against the Cardinals wasn’t a disaster; he gave up four earned runs, and three of them came on one swing from Lars Nootbaar.
Atlanta needs that version of Lopez to keep showing up. Alex Anthopoulos is expected to add a starter, but landing two starters who can really help might be difficult in this seller’s market. With AJ Smith-Shawver’s return from injury coming relatively soon, the Braves could probably get by with one more starter - but only if Holmes is moved out of the rotation and Lopez keeps pitching well.
If that happens, Atlanta could swap out Holmes and one of Bryce Elder or Martin Perez for a trade addition, then fold Smith-Shawver back into the mix as well. That setup would bring more upside than what the Braves are running out there now and would ease some of the pressure on the bullpen, especially if Holmes ends up working as a long man. It’s not perfect, but it’s a path that can work - as long as Lopez keeps doing his part.
In Other News...
Braves May Finally Have The Trade Match Fans Have Waited For
The Athletics are reportedly open for business on some of their outfielders, and that is the kind of market note the Braves have to pay attention to. Atlanta has the sort of pitching depth that can make a real conversation possible, while also carrying a need in the outfield that has lingered long enough to matter as the season moves along.
Several of the names that could come up in any framework are young Braves arms, the sort of pieces other clubs usually ask for when they are looking to restock a rotation for the future. For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious: if the front office is going to turn surplus pitching into a bat, this is the kind of matchup that could finally line up. The only question is how far the As are willing to go, and whether the Braves decide this is the moment to act. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Got A Spencer Strider Update They Were Dreading
Spencer Striders rehab has reached a point the Braves were hoping to avoid. The right-hander is dealing with elbow inflammation and still has not started a full pitching progression, which leaves his status in a murky place as Atlanta tries to map out the rest of its season. Manager Walt Weiss has already signaled the uncertainty around his return, and the club is now waiting on another evaluation from Dr. Keith Meister.
For a Braves team that has spent much of the year trying to stay in the race, the timing matters as much as the diagnosis. Striders recovery could shape how aggressively Atlanta pursues starting pitching before the trade deadline, and whether the front office leans toward longer-term answers or a more temporary fix. For now, the only real certainty is that the Braves are still looking for clarity on one of the most important arms in the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Found A Rotation Fix With One Major Catch
The Braves are still looking for starting pitching help, and one name that has surfaced as a possible fit is a veteran with a track record of steady production. A two-time All-Star with a consistent career, he would give Atlanta the kind of rotation stability it has been chasing, especially with the trade market beginning to take shape and clubs weighing whether to buy, sell or hold.
The catch is in the contract, which makes any deal harder to sort out than a simple need-for-need swap. Recent trades for pitchers on similar deals have offered a rough guide, but they also highlight how quickly the asking price can drift depending on how a team values the player, leaving Atlanta and Kansas City with plenty to work through before anything gets close. [Read more 🡒]