Atlanta Braves’ best NL bullpen includes unlikely Kenny Powers lookalike

THE Atlanta Braves The pitching staff has been in great shape this season. Not just their starters, but also their National League-best bullpen, which I just got deeper with a familiar face. Since Tuesday, they have been leading the National League in the following categories:

At the back you have closer Raisel Iglesias, who has the sixth-most saves in Major League Baseball with 21. Additionally, he is second among all MLB closers with a 0.81 WHIP, behind only Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, who has an elite 0.64 WHIP.

Before Iglesias, the Braves prepared the man, Joe Jimenez, plays a crucial role. He ranks fifth in the National League with 17 holds and has allowed only one home run in 35 innings pitched, a statistic among the best in the National League among base pitchers.

Jesse Chavez, 40, continues to defy time and the odds in Atlanta with a 1.67 ERA that makes him an All-Star candidate.

However, aside from these veterans, there is a new face and a new mane that is turning heads.

Grant Holmes has made a smooth transition to the MLB level.

After spending 10 years in the minor leagues, the 6-foot-0, 225-pound player Kenny Powers lookalike has arrived at the major league level in spectacular fashion. He has a 1.15 ERA and has been a juggernaut against right-handed hitters. Especially considering he has struck out 11 of them (out of 13 strikeouts this year), and they have hit just .100 against him on just three hits in 30 at-bats.

Holmes’ entrance song isn’t Hulk Hogan’s “I’m A Real American,” as in fictional TV star Kenny Powers’ “Eastbound & Down.” As The Athletic’s David O’Brien put it, his aura is well-documented and noted by his teammates.

“I said something to Matty (Olson) yesterday, July 4, that with that hairdo and that mustache, he should pitch yesterday,” Riley said laughing. “We would have disgraced America if he hadn’t pitched yesterday. So it was a good thing to bring him in.”

Riley laughed before adding, “It’s beautiful hair. My wife was like, ‘I wish I had hair like that.’ I said, ‘I’m sure a lot of people do.’ She said, ‘I put so much product in it, trying to get it to stay like that.’”

While the South Carolina native’s hair draws plenty of laughs and jokes, none of his teammates doubt his pitching abilities. The same goes for manager Brian Snitker, who also believes in him.

“He’s been great,” the Braves manager said. Brian Snitker said. “And you need a guy like that. You need somebody to come out of that bullpen, go multiple innings and give you a chance to come back and get to your bullpen guys. I’m so happy for him.”

At 28, the former first-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft still has plenty of years ahead of him. He hopes to remain a member of the Atlanta Braves for the rest of his career, given that he has been a die-hard fan of the team his entire life.

“Absolutely. I want to stay here for the rest of my career,” Holmes said. “You never know what’s going to happen. But I’ll never give up, I can tell you that.”

If he continues to pitch like he has this season, his dream of remaining a Brave forever will likely be in his hands.