Braves still discussing AJ Smith-Shawver call-up as Holmes's role remains uncertain

The Atlanta Braves have not yet decided when to call up right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver, and the timing of any promotion may hinge on when Grant Holmes is available to pitch out of the bullpen, per Mark Bowman. General manager Walt Weiss told reporters the club is still discussing the move, even as Holmes's role in the rotation appears to be in flux.

The wrinkle, as Bowman outlined it: if Smith-Shawver is promoted to replace Holmes as a starter, the Braves may wait to make the move until Holmes is ready to pitch in relief, to avoid leaving the bullpen short-handed. The earliest Holmes would be available to pitch out of the pen, per Bowman, would be Thursday's makeup game against the White Sox.

What happened

Weiss was asked directly whether he was ready to say Smith-Shawver would be coming up within the next few days. He said the club is still discussing the move, per Bowman. The promotion is under consideration, but the timing remains uncertain — and, as of Bowman's report, no decision has been made.

The context Bowman provided suggests the move could be tied to Holmes's availability. If Smith-Shawver is called up to take Holmes's rotation spot, the Braves may prefer to wait until Holmes is ready to pitch in relief, so the bullpen does not lose a body in the interim. That would place the earliest possible window at Thursday's makeup game against the White Sox.

Why it matters

Holmes is listed as the probable starter Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Truist Park. If the Braves are reportedly discussing whether to replace him in the rotation, that start is now at least worth watching — though Weiss has not said publicly that Holmes will be removed from the rotation, and the club has not announced any change to Saturday's pitching plan.

A call-up of Smith-Shawver would give the Braves another young arm to deploy in the rotation down the stretch of a division race. The timing consideration Bowman outlined — waiting until Holmes is available to pitch in relief — speaks to the Braves' depth calculus. If Holmes moves to the bullpen, the club gains a long reliever or multi-inning option, but only once he is ready to pitch. Making the move before that point would leave the bullpen one arm short, which is a meaningful concern for a team playing every day in August.

Under general roster mechanics, a pitcher called up to the active roster must be on the 40-man roster, and any corresponding move to clear a spot would need to be made at the same time. The Braves have not said publicly what that corresponding move would look like, and Bowman's report does not address it. The point is simply that these moves rarely happen in isolation — the roster math is always running in the background, even when the front office is still in the discussion phase.

Where the club stands

The Braves are 85-59, sitting first in the NL East with a division magic number of 15. They have dropped one in a row heading into the weekend. The schedule ahead is relatively manageable: three games against the Diamondbacks at Truist Park this weekend, then a trip to Target Field for a series against the Minnesota Twins starting Monday.

Saturday's game against Arizona is the immediate test. Holmes is listed as the probable starter opposite Eduardo Rodriguez. If the Braves do not make a move before first pitch, Holmes would presumably take the ball. Sunday's probable is Bryce Elder against Michael Soroka, and Monday's is Martín Pérez against Bailey Ober. The rotation beyond Saturday appears set, assuming no further changes.

With a magic number of 15 and a lead in the division, the Braves are not in a position where a single roster decision carries existential weight. But August is when clubs start shaping the arms they want available in October, and the discussion around Smith-Shawver — however unresolved — is a window into how the front office is thinking about that construction.

What we don't know yet

The Braves have not said whether Holmes will be removed from the rotation. Weiss's comments, per Bowman, indicate the club is discussing the move, but no decision has been announced. Holmes remains listed as Saturday's probable starter.

It is also unclear what is keeping Holmes from pitching out of the bullpen before Thursday. Bowman reported that Thursday's makeup game against the White Sox represents the earliest that would happen, but the club has not elaborated on that timeline publicly.

Smith-Shawver's status is similarly open. Weiss said the club is still discussing whether to call him up, but did not indicate when a decision would come or whether the move is formally contingent on Holmes's availability. The promotion is reportedly under consideration — it is not, per the available reporting, imminent.

What to watch

Saturday's game is the first checkpoint. If Holmes starts against the Diamondbacks, the rotation is unchanged for now. If he does not, the Braves will need to account for who is starting in his place and whether Smith-Shawver has been promoted.

Thursday's makeup game against the White Sox is the other date Bowman flagged. If Holmes is available to pitch in relief by then, the Braves could reportedly make the Smith-Shawver move at that point — assuming they decide to proceed. If Holmes is not ready by Thursday, the window could shift further into the following week.

The broader question underneath all of this is what the Braves are seeing that has prompted the discussion in the first place. Holmes is listed as Saturday's starter, but the fact that Weiss is publicly acknowledging a potential replacement suggests the club is actively weighing a change. Whether that reflects performance, workload management, or something else entirely is not addressed in Bowman's report. For now, the Braves are discussing. Smith-Shawver is waiting. And Thursday, at the earliest, may tell us whether this conversation turns into a transaction.