Holmes Officially Bound for Injured List, Braves Recall Reliable Reliever

The Atlanta Braves officially have every one of their opening day starting pitchers on the injured list

The Braves lose another starter for at least a couple weeks | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The official word is in on Atlanta Braves right-hander Grant Holmes. The team announced Sunday morning that he has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right-elbow inflammation.

In a corresponding move, right-hander Daysbel Hernández has been brought back up from Triple-A Gwinnett.

There are currently no reports for how long Holmes will be out. We just know for now that it's for at least a coupl

Manager Brian Snitker told the media Saturday night that this move was coming. At the time, Holmes was labeled has just having elbow tightness, but a proper diagnosis came after undergoing further evaluation.

Holmes reportedly started to complain about the tightness in his fourth and final inning of work on Saturday.

He pitched just four innings, allowing four runs. In 22 games, 21 starts, this season, he has a 3.99 ERA. The Braves will be without one of their most reliable arms this season- but, then again, that can be said about a few other names.

The entire opening day starting rotation is now on the injured list. The other four, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lóepz and AJ Smith-Shawver are all on the 60-day injured list.

Officially, the rotation is down to Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder. Joey Wentz has made a couple of starts recently, but isn’t technically in the rotation according to the depth chart. Though at this point, that’s just semantics. If he needs to make another start, he will, and it should be expected.

Sale and Schwellenbach could be back in the rotation in the next few weeks, so at least there is that. Smither-Shawver had Tommy John surgery. He’s out until later next season. Lóepz could still return, but he would be pitching out of the bullpen. There will be little time for him to build up to a starter's workload when he gets back.

The Braves, at least, get one of their more reliable relievers back in the bullpen. Hernández has a 2.10 ERA in 30 games pitched this season. 

Bryce Elder is set to pitch Sunday's series finale. How the Braves go about their series with the Royals, and frankly every series going forward, will likely be figured out as they go.