Grant Holmes returns to the Braves’ rotation after 10 days off
The starting pitchers this week will be rested, and the Braves hope not rusty, against the NL Central-leading Cubs this week at Truist Park.
Grant Holmes is scheduled to start Tuesday to begin a three-game series against a Chicago team one game behind the Braves (28-13) for the best record in baseball. It will be Holmes’ first start since May 1 against the Rockies.
In Denver that day, Holmes allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits. The Braves were down 6-0 after Mickey Moniak hit a solo home run to lead off the second inning. But Holmes hunkered down to get through the fifth without allowing another run, and the Braves rallied to win 8-6. Holmes’ effort helped save what could have been a disastrous start to a series at Coors Field.
“He stayed in the fight, man,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said that day. “Ends up going five and keeping that game in reach. That’s a great job by (Holmes) after a really tough first (inning).”
Holmes has not pitched since. His spot in the rotation was skipped last week in Seattle and Los Angeles. Weiss said Holmes was available in the bullpen in a pinch against the Dodgers, but the 30-year-old wasn’t called upon.
Holmes (2-1) has made seven starts this season and has a 4.34 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. A six-inning, one-hit outing April 3 at Arizona is his lone start without allowing at least one run.
On Wednesday, rookie JR Ritchie will make his fourth MLB start. Ritchie’s turn in the rotation was also skipped, or perhaps more aptly pushed back, during the three-game series against the Dodgers.
The right-handed Ritchie (1-0) has allowed seven earned runs in 17⅓ innings. He walked six in five innings May 4 in his hometown of Seattle in what would become a 5-4 Braves loss.
“Gonna have to go back and look at some video and see what I was doing,” Ritchie said. “There could any number of things. Definitely early on trying to be too fine, not really going after guys as I should.”
Thursday’s finale against the Cubs will feature Chris Sale, the lefty who is pitching like a Cy Young candidate through eight games. Sale (6-2) has a 2.20 ERA and has struck out 56 hitters in 49 innings.
The lineup of Holmes-Ritchie-Sale equates to Bryce Elder starting Friday’s matchup with the Red Sox at Truist Park. Elder (4-1) has been pitching on regular (four days) rest and the Braves don’t want to mess with that routine given the right-hander looks like an All-Star with a 1.81 ERA and 1.01 WHIP.
If Elder starts Friday, Spencer Strider would likely get his third start of the season Saturday. Strider looked strong this past Saturday against the Dodgers by allowing just one hit over six innings while striking out eight.
Sunday’s starter will likely be determined by how the week develops. Martín Pérez has shown his ability to step in and provide a quality start, or Holmes could make his second start of the homestand.
The Braves have proved to this point they are rolling with Sale, Strider, Elder and Ritchie as part of a four-man rotation. Holmes and Pérez have been slotted in as swingmen. Reynaldo López and Didier Fuentes, both of whom have started games this season, have remained in the bullpen as long relief options.
Regardless of who has opened games for the Braves, the results have been stellar. The team’s starters have the best ERA (3.03) in baseball while holding opponents to a .206 average, also an MLB best.
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