Has Didier Fuentes earned another crack in the Braves rotation?

The Atlanta Braves kicked off their series against the Chicago Cubs with another win behind a four-run explosion in the fifth inning and some tremendous work from Didier Fuentes out of the bullpen.

Grant Holmes got the start for Atlanta, and while it wasn’t a disaster, it certainly wasn’t a quality outing. He allowed two runs, lasted just four innings, and walked four batters. It is the fourth start out of the last five that Holmes has failed to make it past the fifth inning.

When Holmes exited, the Braves trailed 2-1, but they’re fortunate to have an arm like Fuentes waiting in the bullpen. The 20-year-old entered in the fifth and didn’t allow a single hit over the next three innings, striking out three before handing the ball to Dylan Lee in the eighth.

The Braves made the somewhat controversial decision to move Fuentes to the bullpen — despite him being one of the organization’s top pitching prospects at such a young age — following a rough outing on April 22 in which he surrendered four earned runs over three innings. There were understandable concerns about what the role change might mean for his development, but those concerns have quieted considerably.

Didier Fuentes has been brilliant. He’s allowed just one run over his last five appearances in relief, good for a 1.02 ERA alongside a 2.66 FIP.

At this point, if the decision were strictly between Fuentes and Holmes, it probably wouldn’t require much thought. Fuentes is the more talented arm with a level of upside Holmes cannot match. But the situation isn’t quite that simple.

The Braves have been operating with a six-man rotation ever since Spencer Strider returned from the IL, adjusting things series by series. It’s worked so far, but eventually they’ll have to settle on five starters. That brings Martin Perez into the equation, who has been outstanding this season, along with Reynaldo López, who could always shift back into a starting role later in the year.

And that’s without even factoring in the potential returns of Hurston Waldrep and Spencer Schwellenbach, two high-upside arms the Braves hope to get back during the second half.

This may end up being a classic case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Fuentes has carved out a valuable role in the bullpen and looks extremely comfortable there. At the same time, the upside if he eventually puts everything together as a starter is difficult to ignore.

It’s the kind of problem every organization wants to have. The Braves suddenly look like a team with almost too many starting pitching options, and more help is still on the way.