The Atlanta Braves provided three updates this week on the status of a long list of injured pitching options. Spencer Strider is the only member of the Braves' rotation still on the mound, with the rest occupying the injured list.
Among the trio of updates provided, the lone bright spot is the pending return of Chris Sale. The veteran lefty is returning to throwing this week for the first time since fracturing his ribcage while making a diving play in the game's final frame. Sale seems the lone starter who is anywhere close to returning before the end of the season.
Still, it is easy to argue the Braves should play it safe and shut the veteran down, saving his pitches for next season. This isn't going to be an easy decision to get Sale to buy into, with how much the starter loves to compete. If he can find his way back to the mound before the end of the 2025 season, the record doesn't matter. Sale wants to finish out the season, and it is going to take a group effort to change this mindset. Regardless, it seems there are two more arms destined to miss the rest of the season.
Braves Miserable 2025 Season Gets Latest Frustrating Update
Grant Holmes is refusing surgery on a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. Opting to attempt his own rehab, the starter is avoiding Tommy John ending his 2025 season and putting his 2026 season very much into question. This leaves not only Holmes as a major question mark, but A.J. Smith-Shawver as well. The impressive young pitcher opted to undergo surgery earlier in the year and will be a question mark when it comes to his potential 2026 return.
Two key pieces in the Atlanta rotation are now not only gone for the season but may not be able to return for the bulk of 2026, either. The Braves must prioritize adding depth and finding options for their team, which they lost when parting ways with Charlie Morton and Max Fried at the end of last season.
Leading to the final update, the Braves offered on bullpen arm Joe Jiménez, who missed much of the season due to a knee injury. The veteran reliever has again been shut down after dealing with knee soreness after resuming his throwing program. It is more than enough reason to shut the important reliever down for the rest of the season.