The Braves are changing course for one of the biggest series of their season.
Atlanta will now send Grant Holmes to the mound on Monday against the Phillies, a tweak that comes just as the NL East race tightens up. The decision follows Holmes’ three-inning outing Wednesday, which was cut short by a rain delay, and it gives the Braves a different look for a matchup that could shape the division picture.
The rest of the series still lines up with some heavyweight pitching. As SI’s Nick Ziegler laid out, the opener on Friday night in Philadelphia will feature Chris Sale against Cristopher Sanchez.
After that, Zack Wheeler is set to face Martin Perez, then Aaron Nola will meet Tyler Mahle on Sunday afternoon. On Labor Day, Jesus Luzardo is scheduled to go against Bryce Elder.
Atlanta’s adjustment makes sense given how Holmes has looked lately. He was sharp against Washington, working three perfect innings in Wednesday’s 9-0 win while striking out one and throwing just 26 pitches, 16 of them for strikes, before the rain delay ended his night.
“Grant Holmes will now start for the Braves on Monday,” Braves reporter Mark Bowman wrote.
That move also comes with Bryce Elder fresh off a rough outing against the San Francisco Giants on Monday. Holmes has been the steadier choice, and that matters now more than ever with Philadelphia rolling into the series in top form. The Phillies went 21-7 in August and are riding a six-game winning streak.
The stakes are simple: both teams are still in the hunt for the division, and Atlanta can’t afford to let this one get away. Even a split would be useful for the Braves, since it would keep Philadelphia from making up ground in the standings.
Holmes has earned $5 million in his career with the Braves.
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That is where the real tension sits for Washington. The front office can keep shopping for relievers on the open market, but the smarter long-term play may be to build the next bullpen from within, especially with several current and minor league pitchers in the mix as possible contributors. There is also ongoing discussion about whether some starters could be better used in shorter bursts, which would give the Nationals more internal options without paying premium prices for established relievers. The challenge now is figuring out which arms can actually make that move and become dependable late-inning pieces. [Read more 🡒]