TAMPA — Clay Holmes is in a four-ball season, but the Yankees have not yet begun talks about extending him.
I also understand the Yankees’ position.
After all, when they traded for Holmes, he had a 5.57 ERA as a Pirate, and one of the things this organization does best is pick up struggling relief pitchers with skills they like. It’s about identifying and making the most of those skills. And if they did the same thing with Holmes, they’ll keep doing it and find a cheap replacement for him.
They spent years climbing to the top of the market with Zach Britton and Aroldis Chapman, but ultimately it didn’t turn out well, and again, this isn’t about chasing stars, I realized that this is an area where I don’t have to throw away my wallet. table. A year ago, Ian Hamilton was non-existent at the non-roster invite. It became a big hit in 2023 and is now a cog in the key pen. The Yanks will look to find another low-cost, high-impact player this spring somewhere among those types of players, including Nick Vardy, Yerry de los Santos, Joey Garber, Dennis Santana, and Art Warren. , I believe it will help refine it.
They already have a lot of financial commitments going forward, and they could expect to have to make a decision on Juan Soto after the season, and perhaps find another starter at that time (or (Maybe even sooner if Blake Snell’s market actually collapses). So it’s essential to save money elsewhere to manage your payroll, and it’s probably easiest to do with a pen.
I understand everything. That makes sense.
However, you need to be careful here. I think the Yankees need to focus on players that they know will thrive in their environment, both on and off the field. As an example, Wandy Peralta’s production declined slightly in 2023 compared to his first two seasons with the Yankees. But he was fearless. He seemed to love being a Yankee, and he was totally comfortable with everything that came with it. He was great in the clubhouse.
In all likelihood, left-handers Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez, who have spent their entire careers with the big-market Dodgers, will already be gone as New York’s starting pitchers. But unless the medical, scouting, and analysis groups believe that Peralta’s abilities have permanently regressed or his injury risk has significantly increased, if I had the Yankees vote, They would have found a way to re-sign him. Because the only way to know for sure if a guy can handle being a Yankee is to see them as a Yankee. And Peralta could handle that.
So will Holmes.
“I want to win,” Holmes said. “I enjoy this environment. I love high expectations and, of course, not every outing may go well, but it’s like, ‘Hey, this is what we’re all here for. ” I enjoy the pressure and ability. This is what I came here for, to win a championship. I want to help my teammates achieve that and I enjoy that aspect of being here. ”
Holmes is no Mariano Rivera-esque metronome. During his more than two years with the Yankees, sometimes Holmes’ sinker would go out of shape and he would walk several times and practice hard before correcting himself. In fact, Holmes said his goal this year is to find the keys to his pitches faster to lock in sinkers while using sliders and sweepers more in the moment to avoid persistent glitches. he said.
Nevertheless, overall, Holmes has been one of the few best relievers in the sport since coming to New York. Excellent durability. Unmoved. success. The Yankees made four trades before the 2021 trade deadline, but acquiring Holmes was the least high-profile one, behind only Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo as well as Andrew Heaney. But it was great.
Of the 137 pitchers who have relieved at least 100 innings since the first game against the Yankees on July 29, 2021, Holmes ranks in the top 20 in games, innings, and ERA, and ranks 8th in FanGraphs WAR. , is 2nd in ground ball rate and is holding opponents back. He hit .201 with a whiff rate of 27.2 percent. Elite production.
Holmes will celebrate his 31st birthday on March 28, the day before the season opener in Houston. It’s hard to predict that he’ll be a free agent in a year, especially for a player as unstable as a reliever. But among players at or near their prime, Holmes would be the No. 1 prospect in the four-ball bullpen, ahead of Texas’ Jose Leclerc and Atlanta’s AJ Minter. And keep in mind that not only Holmes for the Yankees, but also Ferguson, Tommy Kahnle, and Jonathan Loaisiga are in four-ball years.
Once again, the Yanks have been a great machine for unearthing capable options for Aaron Boone. But do you want to speculate about not only who, but who will handle the Yankees’ ninth inning? Anyway, the Yankees don’t need to do this now, and wait, if Holmes has another successful and healthy season. , then you can still try to keep him. But he is now theirs alone.
“There was nothing there, so I didn’t think much of it.” [as far as negotiations]’ said Holmes. “What’s excited me going into this year since the first time I got here is that the Yankees have a chance to win the World Series. We have a chance to make it happen this year. My heart is there. That’s what I care about right now. If anything changes, we can talk about it.”
