The Atlanta Braves were already having a hard time, and now over the weekend, their pitching problems have deepened. Why? Well, the injury bug has caught another starter, putting him on the IL.

In the Saturday game against the Texas Rangers, Grant Holmes threw four innings and gave up four runs. The Braves not only lost the game by 6-5 to the Rangers. But also, the pain in Holmes’ elbow created a worrisome situation.

Manager Brian Snitker later dropped an update that David O’Brien shared on his X account. It read, “Snitker said #Braves‘ Grant Holmes had elbow tightness and will go on the IL and get checked out. He joins starters Sale, Schwellenbach, López and Smith-Shawver on the IL. What a season for Atlanta. Whew.” 

With that, all five of Atlanta’s Opening Day starters—Grant Holmes, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo López, and AJ Smith-Shawver are now on the IL. Holmes will be out for at least 15 days.

This injury setback creates a void in the Braves’ rotation that is already very weak. Holmes has been a reliable contributor, pitching 115 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 123 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.34. His absence will put all the pressure on Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder, who are the only healthy starters left.

Strider has been the best pitcher on the staff lately, with a 3.72 ERA. He has potential, but he has had troubles with deep balls. Sale has a broken rib, Schwellenbach has a broken elbow, López is recovering from shoulder surgery, and Smith-Shawver is out after having Tommy John surgery.

Holmes’ injury couldn’t have come at a worse moment for a squad that is already on 44-59. Since he is out now, the Braves will have to rely on bullpen help and spot starters from Triple-A. Or they have to make a trade soon, with 31st July looming closer.

Braves search for arms: Who could step in Grant Holmes’ absence?

Atlanta doesn’t have many choices outside of their active roster. Longshots like Didier Fuentes (who made his MLB debut in June 2025) or Hurston Waldrep have spots on the 40-man roster and could be called up to pitch.

Davis Daniel has been more consistent in Triple-A, where he has a 3.52 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. It makes him the best internal option available. Hurston Waldrep had a hard time in the minors, with a 4.97 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. He struggled in his two MLB appearances due to poor pitch control. Although he possesses potential, he remains unpredictable.

If the Braves have room on their 40-man roster, they might look for veterans like Ian Anderson or José Suárez. Those names have a lot of potential, but there are no guarantees they will provide stability late in a season that is already slipping away.

This is similar to when the Braves traded for Dane Dunning from the Rangers. The trade was made for some solidity at low cost. Given that playoff hopes are nearly extinguished and resources are limited, any further acquisitions will likely adhere to a similar strategy—it will be more of a filler than frontline quality.