As the Atlanta Braves look to address holes on the roster, they could be turning to a couple established options within the organization.
While the Braves still look to add starting pitching, they are also likely giving righty Grant Holmes a shot to earn a spot in the rotation. In addition, the Braves are looking to see if reliever Daysbel Hernández can be used in high-leverage situations.
After initially being called up for bullpen help, Holmes was used as an emergency starter for the Braves down the stretch. In seven starts, he had a 4.01 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP and 40 strikeouts over 33 2/3 innings – that equates to 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
He would be an in-house option to be used as a stopgap until Spence Strider can return to the rotation. Whoever the Braves sign would take the other open spot in the rotation.
After that, he can provide bullpen help and be available again in case a rotation arm gets injured or if manager Brian Snitker wants to give everyone an extra rest day. Both options were utilized last season on multiple occasions.
On top of all of that, utilizing Holmes would mean the Braves don’t have to start or resume the service time clock for their top prospects.
Hernández will get his chance to be a full-time member of the bullpen. Despite having a 2.50 ERA, he only made 16 appearances with 18 innings pitched. His small sample size provides some evidence he could be used in key situations.
In the eighth inning or later, he allowed just one earned run over 9 1/3 innings pitched (0.98 ERA). With runners in scoring position, he has a .143 opponents average and a 1.05 WHIP.
If proves to be valuable in high-leverage situations, Hernández could take on Joe Jimenez’s role for 2025 and then potentially take the spot of AJ Minter once Jimenez returns. Unlike Holmes, Hernández’s role would be more season-long.