Too little, too late for the Atlanta Braves?

The Atlanta Braves have been on a downward spiral lately, losing their last five games, including a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. What was until recently a solid starting lineup has struggled, to say the least.

In the last sweep against the Brewers, the rotation allowed 17 earned runs in three starts together. Chris Sale was only responsible for two of those in his appearance, but after his departure, the bullpen allowed five earned runs.

However, rotation was not the biggest problem, as the offense was outnumbered in Milwaukee’s 34-12 win.

On Friday, the Braves will try a new strategy to rest their starting lineup, but the question is whether it’s too late.

Instead of a rotation member, reliever Grant Holmes will start Friday against the Colorado Rockies. Holmes will look to continue his strong season with the Braves in what will be his third start of the year.

He has performed solidly in his last two appearances, recording 12 strikeouts in 9.2 innings pitched.

Holmes is a good starter and another resource that could give Atlanta’s pitching staff a break, but it raises the question: Is it too little, too late to preserve the team’s players for the postseason?

Even though the Braves no longer have a clear lead in the NL Wild Card race, there are still plenty of good reasons for manager Brian Snitker to occasionally use spot starters from the bullpen.

Especially with Charlie Morton and Max Fried set to be free agents in the offseason, maintaining the longevity of young talent like Spencer Schwellenbach and even Reynaldo López (30 years old) is critical to the team’s future in 2025.

After being plagued by numerous injuries this season, it would be good to do everything possible to field the healthiest possible roster for 2025. That’s not to say this season is over, but with just over a month and a half left, a little foresight could go a long way to helping the organization.