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Bullpen Gamble or Grant Holmes? The Braves' Rotation Dilemma After Perez's Injury
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- Bullpen Gamble or Grant Holmes? The Braves' Rotation Dilemma After Perez's Injury
The Atlanta Braves have lost one of their best weapons for the first two rounds of the MLB playoffs. Left-hander Martin Perez is heading to the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation, which will take him out until a potential NLCS matchup for Atlanta.
Perez has been one of Atlanta's best arms this year, which is surprising considering he was not even signed to a big-league deal originally. He joined the organization on a minor league contract in January and was even cut before signing a second minor league deal in April after the Braves designated him for assignment.
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However, injuries have crushed Atlanta's rotation and Perez took advantage of every opportunity given to him. The 35-year-old veteran posted a 3.04 ERA across 30 appearances with 102 strikeouts in 142 innings.
Perez had been expected to start one of the first three games of the postseason for Atlanta, including a potential Game 3 in the wild card round.
Although the Braves may have pivoted to the bullpen early in the set, he was still their best remaining option and now that is no longer the case.
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Grant Holmes Is the Obvious Answer for Atlanta's Rotation
The most obvious replacement is right-hander Grant Holmes. He has a similar profile to Perez in terms of his approach, expected to pitch to contact rather than overpower hitters, posting a 3.47 ERA across 30 appearances with 114 strikeouts in 147 2/3 innings.
The other options are considerably less appealing. Bryce Elder is still sidelined with a knee injury and is not built up for a starter's workload. J.R. Ritchie and AJ Smith-Shawver are both unproven at this level, making Holmes the logical choice.
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Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes (66) Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
A bullpen game is also possible but risks burning through arms too quickly if Atlanta advances deep into October. Losing Perez is a huge blow, but Holmes has done enough this season to deserve the opportunity and the Braves will need him to step up.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
