Heading into the 2024 season, Jeremy Hefner needed to work some serious magic. And he did just that, transforming pitchers like Sean Manaea and Luis Severino, who many thought were past their prime, into top-tier starters. Fast forward to 2025 with the New York Mets, and that magic seemed to vanish, leaving Hefner as the fall guy.
After parting ways with the Mets, the Atlanta Braves couldn't resist a little jab at their rivals, bringing Hefner (and Antoan Richardson) into their coaching ranks following a disappointing 2025 season.
Now with the Braves, Hefner seemed poised to work with one of the best groups of starters he's had in years. But as spring training unfolded, the Braves' pitching staff started dropping like flies.
Jeremy Hefner is facing his toughest test yet as injuries plague the Braves' rotation.
The Braves have been hit hard, losing key pitchers like Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, and Hurston Waldrep, along with several others who could have bolstered either the rotation or the bullpen.
The current rotation, minus the Spencers, features Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder, and Jose Suarez. Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner, is a legend in his own right and was impressive when healthy in 2025. However, at 37, and with a history of Tommy John surgery, betting on him for a full season is risky.
Lopez, who started his career in the rotation before moving to the bullpen and then back to starting in 2024, showed promise but was sidelined for most of 2025 due to shoulder surgery. His talent is undeniable, but health remains a significant concern.
Things get dicey from there. Grant Holmes, the No. 3 starter, took 11 years to make his MLB debut after being a first-round pick in 2014. Last year, he made 21 starts for Atlanta amid another injury-riddled season, posting a 3.99 ERA but struggling with walks and home runs, leading to a less-than-ideal 4.54 xERA.
Bryce Elder, once a promising prospect, has posted a 5.59 ERA over 208 innings in 38 starts over the past two seasons. He’ll hold the fourth spot, but confidence in his performance is shaky at best.
The No. 5 spot is a bit of a wild card. Jose Suarez, after six years with the Los Angeles Angels, joined the Braves in 2025.
He managed just 19.1 innings, mostly in relief. This offseason, he was waived by Atlanta, claimed by Baltimore, waived again, and reclaimed by Atlanta-all in a week.
With a career 5.30 ERA over 396 innings, Suarez has yet to prove he’s a reliable option.
The challenge for Hefner in 2026 with the Braves is starkly different from his time with the Mets in 2024. In New York, he revitalized pitchers with past success. In Atlanta, he’s tasked with elevating three borderline major leaguers while managing injury concerns at the top of the rotation.
If Hefner can pull this off, he’ll reestablish himself as a pitching guru. But if the Braves falter, it’s hard to imagine the blame falling squarely on him. Regardless, the stakes are high, and all eyes are on Atlanta’s pitching staff.