As if the 2025 season wasn't bad enough, one of the very few bright spots for the team in Grant Holmes was placed on the 60-day IL just a short time ago. On Monday, fans finally got some form of an update surrounding the mystery of Holmes' elbow injuryn and what his exact prognosis is, and the news isn't what we wanted to hear.
Mark Bowman of mlb.com got an answer from manager Brian Snitker who decided to avoid any specifics on Holmes' injury, but the update was that Holmes was still debating his options. Sadly, at the end of Bowman's update, he said the decision will likely come down whether or not to undergo Tommy John surgery or have something similar to what Spencer Strider had done in 2024. Either way, Grant Holmes pitching in 2026 feels like an uphill battle.
Snit didn't get into specifics after saying Grant Holmes is still debating his options. Just like Strider and Smith-Shawver, the decision will likely be to undergo TJ surgery or have the splint inserted, if that is an option.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 28, 2025
Bowman hints at long-term surgery for Grant Holmes, major blow for Braves 2026 plans
The 2025 Atlanta Braves are very much hobbling to the finish line as they seek to acquire any starting pitching that can get them through the final couple months of the season. Holmes' unfortunate injury means Braves fans will see a lot more Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz, and Erick Fedde starts than anyone has the patience for.
As for Holmes, this absolutely sucks on so many levels. Holmes is a guy who grinded through a decade of minor league baseball to finally get his chance in 2024. What followed was some really solid pitching, so much so that the Braves trusted him with a rotation spot in 2025.
Holmes wasn't always dominant when he took the mound this season, but he was a very solid backend of the rotation starter overall who gave the Braves a chance to win more often than not. Sure he has real flaws in his Statcast profile, but his both his breaking pitches were amongst top quality offerings for major league pitchers. All in all, Holmes' 3.99 ERA and 4.35 FIP were more than serviceable.
Holmes' missing most if not all of 2026 just means Alex Anthopoulos has one more hole to fix this offseason with a roster that already feels like it has a laundry list of needs. As for now we'll have to wait for an official update once we get Holmes' decision, but the expectation for fans should be for the Braves to try and contend again next season without contributions from Holmes. What the 2026 pitching staff looks like remains to be seen.