The Atlanta Braves have done very little of note in the first days of the league's winter meetings, with only two interesting headlines being generated. The first is the fact that Atlanta appears ready to move on from Marcell Ozuna, while the second provided a far more exciting update on the status of starter Grant Holmes. The starter missed the end of the 2025 season with a partial UCL tear that fans and pundits were afraid would require surgery and would knock out the right-hander for at least part of the 2026 season as well.
Instead, Atlanta's GM made it clear that Holmes would be treated as a healthy pitcher this offseason and should be ready for the start of the 2026 season. This presents the Braves with an interesting decision with one clear spot remaining in the rotation. Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Schwellenbach are filling out the first four spots, leaving the chance that Holmes is the final piece of the puzzle.
However, what the Braves need more than anything is bullpen stability and arms the franchise can rely on to eat high-leverage innings. Keeping this in mind, it seems the clearest path for Atlanta is moving Holmes and Reynaldo Lopez both back into the Atlanta pen and bringing in a veteran starter to fill out the final spot in the rotation.
Braves Should Move Holmes to the 2026 Bullpen After Frustrating Injury
Putting Holmes in the bullpen might be a tough sell to the pitcher himself and some Atlanta fans. However, coming off an incredibly concerning injury, there is reason to wonder how Holmes would hold up in a starting role. Putting the former reliever back into the pen instantly makes the unit far deeper and better poised for a potential return to the postseason.
Already, the Braves have re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias, making the team's plans for the 2026 season clear when it comes to closing options. If the Braves can move Lopez and Holmes in the pen, along with Joe Jimenez returning healthy all of a sudden, the unit appears to be one of the more capable in the National League.
For Holmes, the move makes sense and is going to take some of the pressure off the elbow, even if it is expected to be fully healthy. Atlanta needs help in the bullpen more so than the rotation, and can always opt to stretch out Lopez or Holmes when injuries strike, and additional starters are needed.
As difficult a decision as it might be for Holmes, it is the correct move to make coming off a serious injury and rebuilding one of the weak units that directly set up the massive failure that was the 2025 season. No question, even with the exciting injury update, Holmes should be starting the 2026 season in the Atlanta pen.