DALLAS — For years, Clay Holmes wanted a chance to return to his roots as a starting pitcher. The Mets were ready to provide that opportunity.
On Tuesday, a day after the right-hander's signing of a three-year contract worth $38 million became official, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said he had spoken with Holmes' camp last month and received a starting offer.
“I said, 'Well, I think it's possible. We're going to do a lot more work towards that,' and we did,” Stearns said at the winter meetings. .
This led to discussions between Holmes and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, as well as an evaluation from the team's medical staff on how such a transition would go.
“We all came here believing this was a realistic possibility. We can get this guy to the point where he can be a very good starter in the major leagues,” Stearns said. “[Holmes] I was very motivated to do that. ”
Holmes, 31, last started in his rookie season with the Pirates in 2018.
Last season, he appeared in 67 games as a reliever for the Yankees, posting a 3.14 ERA.
Holmes made 13 saves and was removed from the closer role late in the season.
“We believe he's a starter, but if for some reason it doesn't work out, we know he's an effective reliever,” Stearns said. “But he’s here because he wants to start.”
Stearns said the Mets' plan is to have a six-man rotation for most of next season. The exception is when a team has multiple days off per week.
This arrangement will ensure that Kodai Senga will have at least five days of rest after every start.
Senga, who played in just one game last regular season due to injury, calls Japan home and is a “healthy player who is progressing well through the offseason,” Stearns said.
Team owner Steve Cohen announced the club would sell its two minor league teams, but the Mets will maintain their affiliation with both teams.
Diamond Baseball Holdings has entered into an agreement to acquire the Syracuse Mets (Triple-A) and Brooklyn Cyclones (Single-A) from Cohen Private Ventures.
