Creativity with the pitching staff is often on full display in October, and the Atlanta Braves will have to get very creative with their rotation this offseason. As things stand, Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle would be clear postseason starters, but who pitches for Atlanta in any third game is a real question.
One option could be running out Grant Holmes for an abbreviated start, as his time-through-the-order splits are pretty drastic. Holmes has a 2.72 ERA and 3.18 FIP the first time through the order, but those numbers jump to 5.48 ERA and 7.35 FIP the second time through the order.
Following up Holmes with an effective multi-inning reliever seems like a great idea, but the current roster does not have a trustworthy guy who can fill that role. However, Atlanta can create that pitcher by training Didier Fuentes to throw multiple innings once again. Additionally, if the Braves are to take Fuentes out of the late-inning role, the health of another star reliever may be the determining factor.
Didier Fuentes with 3 huge Ks. pic.twitter.com/Ywh9qJSiRV
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 20, 2026
Health of Robert Suarez could determine how Didier Fuentes is deployed in October
Robert Suarez is the ultimate late-inning weapon for Walt Weiss to deploy in October, but it's still unclear if he will actually be available. The last update we got on Suarez was that he is finally throwing without pain, but he has some time to go before he is cleared to face live batters.
Suarez had a 0.56 ERA, 2.43 FIP, and 1.7 bWAR in just 31 games. His high-octane stuff is exactly what plays in postseason baseball, and getting him back on the mound is of the utmost importance for Atlanta.
If Suarez is able to return, Atlanta can feel more comfortable utilizing Fuentes in the piggyback role. Fuentes' future still seems to be as a starter beyond 2026, so turning him into a multi-inning relief weapon before the seasons end is a great middle ground to find for the 21-year-old's already successful rookie campaign. Turning Fuentes into a full-fledged starter in time for the playoffs may be a stretch, but getting him to where he can comfortably go three or even four innings could open a lot of doors.
As mentioned previously, playoff baseball is managed differently than the regular season, and converting Fuentes to this hybrid long-relief/high-leverage role could be exactly what the Braves need to make a deep postseason run. However, as enticing as this idea is, it very much hinges on Robert Suarez being available to pull it off.
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