The Atlanta Braves may have found something rather important at exactly the right time.
Grant Holmes took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Thursday against the Chicago White Sox, ultimately allowing just one hit over six-plus innings in a 2-0 Atlanta victory. He walked three, struck out three and threw 94 pitches before handing the ball to the bullpen.
It was more than just one good start, too.
Holmes is now 8-5 on the season with a 3.64 ERA following Thursday’s outing. He’s also struck out 78 batters in 92⅓ innings, giving the Braves another pitcher who has shown he can handle a substantial workload.
That’s particularly important because Atlanta is trying to position itself for another deep postseason run.
Chris Sale gets the marquee matchup against Milwaukee on Friday, but perhaps the more interesting development is what the Braves now have behind him.
Grant Holmes Could Have a Major Role in October
There was a time when Holmes probably wasn’t the first name that came to mind when thinking about Atlanta’s postseason rotation.
That could be changing.
The right-hander has had his ups and downs this season, including allowing six runs in his previous start against Arizona. But he had also thrown six scoreless innings in each of his two starts before that outing, showing that Thursday wasn’t necessarily some completely random flash of brilliance.
The slider has been particularly important.
Holmes said after Thursday’s game that he had worked on his wrist positioning after watching video, helping bring the pitch back to the level he knows it can reach. Manager Walt Weiss also called it a very good pitch despite opposing teams knowing it’s coming.
That’s encouraging for the Braves.
If Holmes can consistently give Atlanta five or six quality innings in October, he doesn’t need to become a superstar.
He just needs to be reliable.
And suddenly, the Braves have another legitimate option when the games matter most.
The Braves Could Have a Dangerous One-Two Punch
The really intriguing part is what Holmes could mean for a rotation that already has Chris Sale at the top.
Sale has been outstanding this season, entering Friday’s matchup with Milwaukee at 12-8 and a 2.16 ERA.
That’s a pretty good one-two punch if Holmes can continue pitching like he did Thursday.
Of course, there are no guarantees here. One dominant start doesn’t suddenly make Holmes a proven postseason ace. The Braves also have other options, including Reynaldo López and Bryce Elder, while the organization has already explored whether it could add another top-of-the-rotation arm. ESPN noted before the trade deadline that Atlanta’s rotation behind Sale lacked the same punch as some of the National League’s other contenders.
But that’s what makes Holmes so interesting.
If he can turn this recent run into something sustainable, the Braves may not need to find another answer.
They may already have one.
And if Sale is the pitcher Atlanta expects to lead the rotation into October, having Holmes emerge behind him could give the Braves exactly what every contender wants in the postseason: another pitcher they trust when everything is on the line.
Maybe Atlanta hasn’t found its second ace.
But it may have found something almost as valuable.
Braves May Have Found Another October Weapon