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Ken Sugiura: Grant Holmes' journey to Braves hard to believe, even for him

Ken Sugiura, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on

Published in Baseball

Let’s hope that the Grant Holmes experience lasts as long as he wants it to because it’s an irresistible story. It’s part of the game’s magic — the player whose tenacity and endurance are finally rewarded with a major league call-up that he never was sure would come.

And better yet, the protagonist in this case is playing his role with the humility and awe that you would hope.

“It’s obviously a surreal opportunity and feeling that I’ve had playing for the Braves,” the 28-year-old Holmes said Tuesday, sitting at his locker in a corner of the clubhouse. “Pretty crazy.”

I asked him if there was a particular aspect of finally making it to the majors that stood out to him after so many years of bouncing around the minors, such as the pristine field.

“Honestly, everything,” he said. “Everything. Literally down to just the smallest details. And you know, there’s people in here that I’ve said before that I’ve played with on (the video game) ‘MLB the Show’ when I was back in high school. It’s like, ‘Wow, these guys are still playing.’ It’s crazy. It’s insane.”

He paused and chuckled.

 

“You know, like Chris Sale — I was playing with him when I was younger. Friggin’ (Charlie) Morton. It’s kind of like a dream come true. It’s like, I’m teammates with these guys. It’s crazy.”

Moreover, those video-game characters come to life now greeting him is its own shock.

“Literally,” Holmes said. “It’s crazy. I try not to act, like, star-struck. But to a certain extent, it’s like, ‘Wow, these guys are like, 10-, 15-year big leaguers, and here I am over here, this is my third day in the big leagues. It’s crazy.”

Before Sunday, Holmes’ professional career comprised of 10 minor league seasons with three organizations. He had worn the uniforms of 10 teams, from the Ogden Raptors to the Gwinnett Stripers. In 2022, he was given his release by Oakland, quite arguably the worst organization in baseball.

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