The health of the rotation has unfortunately been the dominant storyline through the first few days of Atlanta Braves' camp. Less than a week into spring training, Atlanta has already seen two key starters sidelined. This early wave of pitching injuries underscores why many believed Alex Anthopoulos should have added another arm to reinforce the rotation during the offseason.
With that in mind, attention naturally shifts to the healthy arms expected to anchor the rotation. Anthopoulos told reporters the club feels confident in Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, and Reynaldo López as its top four options. However, the latter two drew contrasting evaluations following their first live batting practice sessions of the spring.
Grant Holmes looked good in today’s live BP. His FB consistently hit 95 mph. It was interesting to hear him say the partial UCL tear seen via a MRI in August may have been pre-existing. His progress has supported this thought.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) February 14, 2026
Grant Holmes and Reynaldo Lopez offer different live BP results during the early days of Braves camp
Both Holmes and López had their 2025 seasons cut short by injury. Holmes was sidelined in July with a partial UCL tear, while López made just one start before undergoing arthroscopic surgery that effectively ended his year. Now, both enter the season aiming to reestablish themselves and prove they can deliver reliable, quality innings in the middle of the Braves’ rotation.
The foundation for both pitchers begins this spring, and Holmes is one Brave who drew early praise for his work this week. During his first live batting practice session, Braves beat writer Mark Bowman noted that Holmes looked sharp. Most notably, Bowman reported that Holmes’ fastball consistently reached 95 mph.
Holmes averaged 94.5 mph on his fastball last season, so sitting around that mark in mid-February is an encouraging sign for what he could offer this year. Just as important are the reports that he feels good physically. There is also a belief that his partial UCL tear may have been a pre-existing issue, which would make his decision to pursue rehab rather than surgery a more attainable path to recovery.
On the flip side of the coin, López did not receive the same encouraging feedback. According to Bowman, he sat in the 91–92 mph range with his fastball during Saturday’s live BP and leaned heavily on his breaking ball. That development raises some concern, given that López has typically relied on the power of his fastball/slider combination to generate swings and misses and dictate at-bats.
In 2024, López averaged 95.5 mph on his fastball, using that velocity to post a 1.99 ERA. Velocity was a major talking point for him throughout last spring as well. Ultimately, López made just one start in 2025, so emerging from these live BP sessions healthy remains the top priority. Ideally, as the weeks progress, he can begin ramping his fastball velocity back toward his career norms.
As spring training continues, all eyes will remain on Holmes and López as they work to reestablish themselves in the Braves’ rotation. Holmes’ early showing offers optimism, while López’s slower start underscores the need for patience and careful monitoring. Ultimately, health and consistency will be the key factors in determining whether both pitchers can provide the middle-of-the-rotation stability Atlanta is counting on this season.