Holmes Faces Challenges in Loss to Padres
SAN DIEGO – It looks like Clay Holmes might be a consideration for the Mets’ bullpen, but his recent performance raises some concerns.
Initially, Holmes seemed to be on a successful path this season, but his recent outings could make teams rethink their strategies as the trade deadline approaches on Thursday. Perhaps they’ll decide to hold onto top prospects like Nolan McLean and Brandon.
In his latest start on Wednesday, Holmes struggled significantly, failing to make it through four innings during a 5-0 defeat at Petco Park, marking a sweep for the Padres.
After a decent showing against the Giants earlier in the week, expectations were high, but this West Coast trip certainly took a turn for the worse for the Mets.
Holmes gave up four runs in just 3²/₃ innings, with two of those runs coming from batters he hit. His earlier ERA of 4.90 has dropped as he hasn’t finished six innings in his last appearances.
On the 1st, the Mets bolstered their bullpen by bringing in Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert, and Tiddle Rodgers, yet they still faced a tough game ahead.
Unfortunately, the team only managed three hits, largely due to the strong performance of Yu Darvish and the Padres’ bullpen. Juan Soto was sidelined last night due to a left foot issue after being hit by a foul ball.
Holmes seemed to start strong, getting two quick outs in the second inning, but things fell apart as he allowed a two-run single from Manny Machado, putting the Mets in a 2-0 deficit.
He also gave up hits to Martin Maldonado and Fernando Tatis Jr., leading to an unfortunate walk to Luis Arez.
In the third inning, an error by Francisco Lindor contributed to the Padres scoring two more runs, with a two-run homer extending their lead to 4-0.
Holmes faced more difficulty in the fourth, where he allowed two singles but was finally relieved by Reed Garrett, who closed the inning after just two pitches.
Offensively, the Mets really struggled against Darvish. The only notable base runner was Mark Vientos, who managed a single in the first inning, with Ronny Mauricio adding a two-out single in the fifth.
Darvish completed more than seven innings without giving up a run and only two hits. In fact, the Mets recorded just one run across the final two games of this series.
To add to the Padres’ tally, Rico Garcia let a run slip in the eighth inning after allowing a sacrifice fly from Jackson Merrill, marking the first run he has given up in his six appearances with the Mets.
