With limited funds and a plethora of holes to fill this offseason, the Braves might only be able to address some of their issues externally while relying on internal development in other areas. Two pitchers to keep an eye on for 2025 are Daysbel Hernandez and Grant Holmes.
“Anthopoulos said the potential of exceeding the luxury threshold for a third straight year won’t be viewed as a hinderance for the Braves. They’re hoping Daysbel Hernandez proves to be a high-leverage guy next year and Grant Holmes might be used as a starter in 2025,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes on Twitter/X.
The luxury tax may not deter the Braves from making additions right now, but the overall payroll is a concern. The Braves don’t have limitless funds, and they don’t have a wealth of prospects that they can move in trades. Alex Anthopoulos is going to have to get creative to upgrade the roster, and he may have to trust what he’s got in some areas.
Daysbel Hernandez is someone the Braves probably should have started leaning on more often last season. However, the bullpen was so dominant — and healthy — for most of the year that there weren’t a lot of opportunities available. He’s 28 years old and appeared in 16 games for the Braves this year, posting a 2.50 ERA, 2.11 FIP, and 13.3 K/9. With Joe Jimenez expected to miss most of next season, Anthopoulos doesn’t have to look far for his potential replacement, which should allow him to focus more on the starting rotation and outfield this offseason.
The former of which could receive a boost from Grant Holmes. It might not be option A, but it’s not a bad plan B if the market for starting pitchers begins to dry up. Holmes was unbelievable for the Braves this season after spending 10 years in the minors before making his MLB debut. He recorded a 3.56 ERA, 3.20 FIP, and 9.2 K/9 over 68.1 innings, pitching in a slew of different roles for the club.
If there ends up being an open competition for the fifth and final spot in the rotation until Spencer Strider is healthy, the Braves could do a lot worse than Grant Holmes.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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