It was fair to wonder whether or not the Atlanta Braves were going to move Grant Holmes to the bullpen after a recent run of underwhelming starts. However, Sunday's outing at the very least offered a bit of time with Holmes going 6.0 innings without giving up a run and striking out four. There was a clear improvement in Holmes' ability to utilize his slider and place his fastball, avoiding the big inning that had been haunting the starter over the last weeks of the season.
Still, the pressure will continue to be there for Holmes with Atlanta announcing they are giving Martin Perez a start this week against the Miami Marlins. It is a sign that the pressure isn't going to relent on Holmes, even if this start did buy a bit of goodwill and time for the veteran. Holmes has previously given up 11 runs in his last 15.0 innings pitched, pointing to why a change was very much on the table.
Holmes delayed this decision, with neither Hurston Waldrep nor Spencer Schwellenbach being ready to return. The only obvious competition that Holmes has had is Perez, who has undeniably given the franchise a more consistent chance at winning when he has been on the mound.
The Braves opted to utilize Perez twice out of the bullpen before giving the veteran another starting opportunity this week against an underwhelming Miami lineup. Another sharp start for Perez would continue to turn up the pressure and leave Holmes no option but to continue the momentum built from this outing.
Braves Starter Grant Holmes Remains on Thin Ice Despite Sunday's Strong Start
Holmes now has an ERA of 3.80, pointing to just how incredibly difficult it has been to secure a spot in Atlanta's rotation. It isn't that Holmes isn't a viable option, but rather the fact that the Braves have a treasure trove of arms that will continue to put pressure on Holmes to build off this start and prove he can be a great option at the end of the team's rotation.
It is a welcome problem in comparison to last season, when it appeared the Braves couldn't find one consistent rotation presence. Injuries decimated the unit and forced Atlanta to rely on less-than-stellar options. This season has been the complete opposite, evidenced by the fact that Holmes is under pressure even after this fantastic start.
This speaks to how well the Braves have managed the rotation options this season and the pressure that lies ahead for the bottom three options in Atlanta's rotation. It will be a constant battle to hold onto spots with the Braves always having 2-3 options pushing for their chance.
Add us as a preferred source on Google