The Atlanta Braves can’t catch a break. An extra-innings loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday dropped the Braves 15 games below .500 and 16 games behind the first-place New York Mets.

This season could not be going much worse.

The predominant narrative after last season was “there’s no way they get this unlucky twice in a row!” Well, as we all know, lightning can indeed strike the same place twice. Thank you to the Rescue Heroes for teaching me this very important lesson as a child.

Grant Holmes left Saturday’s start after 4.0 innings after he felt “elbow tightness,” per Braves manager Brian Snitker. He allowed six hits, two walks and four earned runs with two strikeouts. For the season, Holmes has a 3.99 ERA and 1.34 WHIP, boasting 123 strikeouts in 115.0 innings. Now he joins a loaded IL for the Braves.

Chris Sale, AJ Smith-Shawver, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach are all on the IL. All would be regular starters if Atlanta was at full strength, which tells you how weak the rotation is at present. Holmes’ sudden absence just increases the size of the void tearing through Atlanta’s pitching staff. Superman ain’t coming to save the Braves rotation.

Grant Holmes injury gives Braves ample motivation to sell at trade deadline

It’s time for Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves front office to accept reality. This team has been reluctant to sell at the trade deadline, and understandably so.

The Braves are built to contend. This roster has a lot of talent. Unfortunately, not enough of it is available, and many of the “healthy” stars just aren’t performing up to their standards. Atlanta’s postseason window is just about closed. It’s time to start restocking for the future.

Marcell Ozuna is good as gone, but the Braves might need to consider going beyond their expiring contracts. Retooling for a hopefully healthy run in 2026 is understandable, but at a certain point, one has to wonder if this roster, as built, just isn’t good enough.

There are too many injury variables. Too many stars who haven’t played like stars in two years.

Chris Sale, for example, would return a monster haul, even on the IL. He’s due back before October and he has a club option for next season.

Before suffering an unlucky rib injury, Sale was in the thick of NL Cy Young contention for the second straight campaign. Longevity and durability are concerns for Sale moving forward.

Now might be the right time to cash in, rather than trying to trade him next summer when the value of his contract will almost certainly be less.

Sean Murphy? Ozzie Albies? Even Michael Harris. None of these guys should be untouchable. That’s not to say Atlanta needs to tear this roster down to the studs, but reinvigorating the farm system and improving depth with a couple of major trades wouldn’t be the worst idea for a team whose primary bugaboo has been depth.

Braves are running short on pitchers with Grant Holmes out

Atlanta’s goal at the trade deadline should be clear: to stockpile pitching options. Once considered a strength of the Braves roster, the rotation is in shambles right now.

Better health should eventually come around, but even thinking ahead to next season, the Braves might want better alternatives than Bryce Elder or Joey Wentz when injuries strike.

With four regular starters on the IL, Atlanta will once again dip into their Triple-A pool for an immediate replacement.

Didier Fuentes, the Braves’ 20-year-old top prospect, was completely overwhelmed when Atlanta called him up earlier this season. Hurston Waldrep, their former No. 1 prospect, has struggled immensely in Triple-A Gwinnett.

Davis Daniel and Nathan Wiles logged a handful of spot starts earlier this season and could be due for a call-up.

Fomer postseason hero Ian Anderson was waived earlier this season, then picked back up off waivers after he met the same fate with the Los Angeles Angels.

He has not been particularly good in MLB or Triple-A this season, but hey. The Braves are, again, running out of options.

This is all very bleak. Atlanta needs to look in the mirror and consider a few tough cuts at next week’s trade deadline.