Braves Insider Projects Winners of Depth Rotation Spots

Believe it or not, the Atlanta Braves are about halfway through their Spring Training games. Opening Day is now less than three weeks away.

With that in mind, The Athletic's David O'Brien took another stab at predicting what the Braves' 26-man roster will look like for the team's first regular season game.

The top three starting rotation spots are already set with Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach. O'Brien predicted on March 7 that Grant Holmes and Ian Anderson will join those three in the rotation to begin the 2025 campaign.

"It seemed clear entering spring training that it would take an injury or woeful performance from Holmes or Anderson to alter this projected Opening Day rotation, and so far there has been neither pain nor performance to cause disruption," wrote O'Brien.

"Yes, Anderson has nearly twice as many walks (nine) as strikeouts (five) in eight innings during his three starts, but he’s allowed only two hits and one run. Opponents are hitting .080 against him, and the high walks total is mitigated somewhat by three things: Anderson missed the past two MLB seasons after Tommy John surgery; he’s never had a great strikeouts-to-walks ratio; and his strike zone got squeezed by the home-plate ump in his first spring start."

While O'Brien didn't call anything he wrote Friday his final prediction, he argued the only thing that will change his projection is an injury.

Anderson and Holmes are out of minor-league options. That means if the Braves elected to have AJ Smith-Shawver or Bryce Elder begin the season in the rotation instead of Anderson or Holmes, then Anderson and Holmes will have to clear waivers to stay in the Braves organization.

"Either would likely be taken by another team if the Braves tried to get them through waivers. The Braves put great value on maintaining proven depth, and I can’t see a scenario where they would lose a starter to waivers unless he falls apart early in the season," concluded O'Brien.

Anderson has struggled with control this spring, walking nine batters in eight innings. But he's also recorded a 1.13 ERA and 0.80 batting average against.

Holmes has posted an 1.80 ERA and .118 batting average against in five innings over two appearances. He's walked two batters with four strikeouts as well this spring.

Anderson last pitched in the MLB during the 2022 season. Holmes went 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 26 appearances last year. He started seven of those 26 games.