End of the Line? Atlanta Braves Make Roster Move That Could Spell Departure for Pitcher

End of the Line? Atlanta Braves Make Roster Move That Could Spell Departure for Pitcher

On Sunday morning, the Atlanta Braves announced that they have assigned left-handed pitcher Ray Kerr to Gwinnett and added Grant Holmes to the major league roster. To create room for Holmes on the 40-man roster, the Braves summoned Huascar Ynoa from Gwinnett and placed him on the 60-day injured list.

Ynoa had an important part for the Braves in 2021, starting 17 games. The majority of his success occurred in the first half of the season, when he had a 3.02 ERA in eight starts (nine games) before fracturing his hand in Milwaukee after a bad start. Ynoa returned in 2021 and started nine more games, but only pitched one game in the postseason. In 2022, he only pitched two major league games before suffering a UCL injury that necessitated Tommy John surgery.

This year, Ynoa began the season in Gwinnett but has not pitched since April, when he departed his third start due to elbow pain. With Ynoa on the 60-day injured list, he might return as early as August 14, and the Braves are unlikely to utilise him in the majors at all.

The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the first round of 2014. He was a top 100 prospect in 2015, 2016, and 2017, but he never achieved the success that the Dodgers and, later, the Oakland Athletics expected. Holmes pitched for the Athletics until July 2022, when he was released. The Braves signed him shortly after, however he only appeared in three games for the organisation in 2022.

The 28-year-old has spent the last two seasons in Gwinnett, recording a 3.18 ERA in 102 innings. Holmes has started three games this year and can provide the Braves with several innings. Holmes delivers four pitches. His fastball averages 95.1 mph and he throws it 44.1% of the time. He also throws a slider, curveball, and cutter. This season, he’s struck out 30.4% of batters and walked 8.9% of them.

This is Holmes’ first appearance on an MLB roster, and after ten years in the minors, the former top first round pick will finally get his chance in the big leagues.