Grant Holmes Extinguishing Doubts During Dominant Braves Spring

The Atlanta Braves starter shouldn't have even been available to pitch; instead, he's been turning heads

Holmes looks as healthy as ever during Braves spring training | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Entering spring training, Grant Holmes had zero guarantees. He's out of options. He was rehabbing a partially torn UCL. There was a chance he wouldn't even make the big league club, let alone get back into the Atlanta Braves rotation.

Sure enough, circumstance gave him his chance. Two starters went down quickly. He was quickly named an opening day member of the rotation. Since then, another option has been declared out for the season. All he had to do was make his chance count. While in the test of the regular season, he's showing what could be to come during spring training.

In his most recent start on Thursday, Holmes delivered five scoreless, no-hit innings while striking out nine. His lone baserunner was a walk. He continues his scoreless streak that's lasted all of spring training. To this point, he's pitched 10 1/3 innings with no runs allowed.

For the most part, he's been keeping baserunners at bay. The key difference was that he was much more efficient, allowing him to go five after not having finished the third inning before this start.

For now, the Braves can feel safe with their early decision to lock him in. They should be encouraged. He was throwing at 95 mph at the time of his injury. This is how he looks pain-free. They may have a chance to overcome the injury woes they have experienced.

Last year, Holmes went on the 60-day injured list after suffering his UCL injury. At the time he went down, he had been one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. At one point, all five arms from the opening day rotation were on the 60-day injured list. Two of them are still out long-term, though Schwellenbach suffered a second elbow injury.

Getting one arm healthy when he should have been out for all of this upcoming season is the type of break they needed. They can focus on determining the fifth starter. He and the other four options inspire hope.

The Braves fell to the Pirates on Thursday, 5-2, in Bradenton. They head back to North Port to take the New York Yankees. Didier Fuentes gets the ball to start. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

What happens next for the Atlanta Braves? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Braves news delivered to your inbox daily!