Braves' Role Players Quietly Key to Team's Success

The Braves have relied on several underappreciated players to maintain their standing. Grant Holmes has provided stability in the rotation with a 3.71 ERA, while Dylan Dodd has become a versatile reliever with 14 holds. Elieser Hernandez has also contributed in key relief appearances.

The Braves have utilized sixty players this season, highlighting how organizational depth has sustained the club through injuries. Grant Holmes entered spring training without a guaranteed rotation spot while rehabbing a partially torn UCL, yet has delivered a 3.71 ERA and 112 ERA+. Dylan Dodd, who struggled as a starter in 2023, has reinvented himself as a flexible reliever capable of pitching anywhere from the third inning to the ninth, collecting 14 holds and a save along the way.

Elieser Hernandez has made only a handful of appearances, but each has mattered—including a three-inning outing in his July 24 debut and another three-inning stint after a rain delay on Sept. 2. Eli White, traded at the deadline, provided dependable outfield defense, speed on the bases, and occasional offensive production as a fourth outfielder.