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Four Unsung Heros of the 2026 Atlanta Braves Season
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- Four Unsung Heros of the 2026 Atlanta Braves Season
Sometimes, it's the role players who save the season | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It takes village, and for a major league team like the Atlanta Braves , this mindset holds true. Consistently, the top stars on the team get their due credit, and they should. But sometimes, it's good to dig team and see who has gone a bit overlooked at times this season.
Cases could be made for plenty of players. Sixty players have been used by the team this season. So, for now, four will get a shoutout here.
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Some are more obvious than others, but with some extra discussion, you may realize the full story of their contributions isn't always acknowledged.
Grant Holmes
Holmes is somebody, with some context provided, who is certainly an unsung hero this season.
Entering spring training, Holmes had zero guarantee that he would be a member of the rotation. He had to prove himself since he was rehabbing a partially torn UCL. Circumstance gave him his chance, and he's managed to hold his own.
When starting pitchers have dropped like flies, the best ability is availability. Having the presence has helped the rotation remain stable.
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Overall, he's pitched to a 3.71 ERA and a 112 ERA+ this season. It hasn't been pretty in every start, but he's gotten the job more often than not.
Dylan Dodd
Those who have been tracking the Braves consistently know that Dodd has come into his own this year. Walt Weiss knew early on that he'd be part of the plan, and he proved that having him be part of the plan was the right call.
However, how reliable Dodd has been goes deeper than some may realize. He can come in to get a single out. He can give the team up to three innings in relief. He's pitched as early as the third inning and finished games in the ninth inning. For good measure, he has 14 holds and a save.
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After initially not working out as a starting pitcher back in 2023, he's evolved into a clutch reliever who can help give the team needed innings.
Elieser Hernandez
Hernandez has only made a handful of appearances this season. However, he's found his way into some key situations.
Each time he's gone out to the mound, he's been able to give the bullpen a breather and help the Braves get to the finish line of a game and pick up the win.
In his team debut on July 24, he pitched three innings and even worked around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth to keep his team in the game. On Sept. 2, he came in after a rain delay and picked up three innings en route to a combined two-hit shutout by the staff.
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He added his first-career save to his career along the way. Sometimes, pitchers pop up, help pick up the win and then wait for their next chance. That about sums up what Hernandez has contributed to the team.
Eli White
His time with the Braves came to an end at the trade deadline, but I decided to give him a shoutout anyway.
White could play solid defense at any outfield position. He was due for a couple strong games at the plate where he'd put his team on his back per season. His speed on the basepaths was valuable and will be hard to replace.
For a fourth outfielder, White was reliable as it got.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/braves/onsi as Four Unsung Heros of the 2026 Atlanta Braves Season .
