Braves Notes: Ozuna, Holmes, Bullpen
Atlanta’s top executive, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos, spoke with reporters today, including David O’Brien of The Athletic, and touched on a wide range of topics. He outlined the team’s approach to designated hitter duties and shared health updates for a couple of pitchers.
Anthopoulos did not completely rule out re-signing Marcell Ozuna, but he indicated the plan is to keep the DH slot open and divide responsibilities among several players. Ozuna has served as Atlanta’s primary DH since 2023, and over the past three seasons he has appeared in the field only twice.
Last season Ozuna’s grip on the DH role weakened as the Braves pursued more time for Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin in the lineup. With Ozuna’s free-agent status looming, trade chatter intensified in July. He ultimately remained with the club through the trade deadline. In August he produced five homers in the first two weeks, yet cleared only one additional round-tripper for the remainder of the year.
Now 35, Ozuna has spent six seasons with the Braves. He led the National League in home runs and RBIs during the shortened 2020 season and then faced injuries and variable performance across the next two campaigns. He rebounded in 2023 and 2024, racking up 79 homers and 100-plus RBIs in each season.
Drake Baldwin, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, is expected to anchor the heart of Atlanta’s order next year. Murphy, while he may have struggled to hit for average in 2024, delivered solid power and strong defense, and is likely to handle the majority of catching duties.
On the pitching front, Anthopoulos noted that Grant Holmes has shown no setbacks in recovering from a partial UCL tear and will be treated as a healthy pitcher during the offseason. That progress suggests Holmes could be ready to start the 2026 season. He landed on the 60-day injured list late last season due to elbow inflammation but avoided surgery thus far and appears to be on track.
Holmes is expected to be a depth option in the starting rotation at the outset but could move into a larger role if needed, mirroring last year’s circumstances when a seasonal injury to Spencer Strider thrust Holmes into a starting spot. He posted a 3.99 ERA over 22 games (21 starts), striking out more than a hitter per inning, though his walk rate climbed to 11%—a likely consequence of the elbow issue.
The rotation for 2026 is shaping up around Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Strider as anchors. Hurston Waldrep impressed late last season with a reworked repertoire and is expected to secure a roster spot again. Reynaldo López, sidelined for most of 2025 with a shoulder problem, is anticipated to return at the start of next season. The club has prioritized extra rest days for its starters in recent years, particularly for Sale, which could allow Holmes to earn starts even when the full rotation is healthy.
The health update on Joe Jiménez was less encouraging. He missed the entire season after knee surgery in March, and Anthopoulos said Jiménez recently underwent a cleanup procedure on the knee. The team isn’t counting on his return until he demonstrates readiness by ramping up his throwing program.
Jiménez was acquired in a December 2022 trade with Detroit, which sent Justyn-Henry Malloy and Jake Higginbotham to the Tigers. He became a key piece of late-inning depth in 2024, recording 27 holds and three saves. He shed some walk issues seen in Detroit while maintaining a strong strikeout profile.
Offseason moves have included re-signing Raisel Iglesias and Joel Payamps to bolster the bullpen. Jiménez’s ongoing knee concerns could prompt the club to add another right-handed option. The Braves also boast left-handed late-inning options in Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer, providing balance to the relief corps.
Photo courtesy of Brad Mills, Imagn Images
