Grant Holmes available out of bullpen for Braves

The plan is for Grant Holmes to operate as a bulk reliever, but it will be Kerr who opens the game. The left-hander pitched to a 1.47 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, and 11/2 K/BB ratio in 18 1/3 innings for the Braves this season. Lefties hit .174 off of him with just one extra-base hit in 26 batters faced, so his job will be to keep Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper from doing damage in the first inning.

Holmes seems like the obvious choice to take the ball either as a traditional starter or bulk reliever after a lefty opener after Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle worked the first two games of the best-of-three series. It’ll be a massive spot for the 30-year-old righty to make his postseason debut with Atlanta facing elimination in a decisive Game 3 showdown at Truist Park.

Holmes gave up eight hits, walked none and struck out four. He improved to 10-5 with the win. Holmes has struck out more than four batters once in his last eight starts, though he has a 2.95 ERA in that span. He has a 3.47 ERA on the season. Holmes is lined up to face the Marlins on the road this weekend.

It’s a tough break for fantasy managers in the middle of playoff matchups. However, all indications are that Sale, who was originally scheduled to start on Friday, is healthy and not dealing with any physical issues. The decision appears to be aimed towards setting up Atlanta’s rotation for the postseason schedule. It’ll be Tyler Mahle, Grant Holmes and Martín Pérez getting the ball against the Astros this weekend.

After a scoreless first inning, Holmes surrendered a two-run homer to J.T. Realmuto in the second. He recovered with two more scoreless innings before departing after four frames. He did not record a strikeout. The 30-year-old right-hander will carry a 3.49 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 110/59 K/BB ratio across 141 2/3 innings into a start against the Astros in Houston next weekend.

Holmes struck out six. It’s his fifth scoreless start since the beginning of August, though one of those ended after three innings because of a rain delay. His peripherals still aren’t great, but he has a 2.61 ERA in his last 14 outings since late June. He’ll likely face the Phillies again at home on Sunday.

Bryce Elder, who allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings on Monday and has a 6.45 ERA over his last four starts, will see his next start pushed back a few days. Given that it was slated to come against the Phillies, that’s probably welcome news for those still relying on Elder.

Holmes struck out one and didn’t allow any baserunners. He was cruising, needing only 26 pitches to record nine outs before a rain delay interrupted his day. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.62, and he’s had just two starts all season where he gave up more than three earned runs. A home matchup against the Rays is up next.

Holmes kept the Rockies off the board for the first four innings of this one. His first earned run came in the top of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jake McCarthy to bring home Zac Veen, but that was just the start of a three-run inning for the Rockies. A few batters later, Hunter Goodman would single to drive home Ezequiel Tovar, and Cole Carrigg came around to score on the following at-bat on a groundout by Cole Carrigg. Holmes would make it out of the inning but would not return in the sixth, bringing an end to his night. It was a strong final outing for Holmes, who held his opponents off the board in three of his five starts and posted a 3.04 ERA. Holmes’ next start is scheduled for Wednesday on the road against the Nationals.

Holmes had only two batters reach against him through six, both on walks. He came out for the seventh and walked another before Andrew Benintendi broke up the no-hitter with a single. He was pulled then, and Didier Fuentes came in and struck out three in a row to keep the game 2-0. Holmes improved to 8-5 with a 3.64 ERA. There’s been talk about shifting him to the pen, but he hasn’t made it an easy call, with the Braves winning eight of his last nine starts. He’ll face the Dodgers next week.