Clay Holmes has had a challenging stretch, starting seven games but not completing six innings in any of them. This has put additional strain on the already overworked Mets bullpen, prompting David Stearns to express the need for improvements, particularly as the trade deadline approaches. There’s even talk of calling up a Triple-A starter to provide some relief.
Interestingly, Holmes might be part of the solution. He’s a two-time All-Star closer, but this season marks his first as a starter and, well, things are getting a bit complicated.
Maybe, but it seems unlikely for now. “We see him as a starter,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner mentioned recently, emphasizing the need to assess his performance as the season progresses. “For the time being, we think he’s in a good spot.”
In fact, before his 21st start, Holmes had recorded over 108 innings—a significant feat. “I feel like I’m in a good place,” he remarked, though he has doubts about maintaining that pace.
As the Mets work to get Holmes back on track after a rough patch, they face some obstacles. In his last three outings in June, he walked a dozen batters in just under 15 innings. During a game in Baltimore, he surrendered four runs in the sixth but still managed one run in five innings, showcasing his ups and downs.
In his most recent performance, he navigated troubles early on, which were exacerbated by an error. By the end of the first three innings this season, hitters had a .606 OPS against him, and it jumped to .765 in the next trio of innings. His ERA has ballooned to nearly 9.35 in those tough frames.
Holmes indicated that physical fatigue might play a role in his struggles, but he believes this is typical for pitchers at this stage of the season. “It’s not just one thing,” he said, attributing some dips to pitch selection rather than just fatigue. “There’s a lot going on. It’s about learning how to use my pitches effectively, especially the third time through the order.”
At 32, he’s recovering well and still holds a respectable 3.48 ERA. The Mets don’t plan to impose strict inning restrictions on him—historically, they’ve seen similar cases with pitchers like Luis Severino and Sean Manaea manage to push through. They might not have been at their best by the end of the season, but they were still valuable to the team.
Holmes signed a three-year deal worth $38 million last winter and is eager to establish himself as a reliable starter. “That’s what I’m aiming for and what I want to achieve,” he stated confidently. “There’s no reason I can’t make this work.”
Hefner noted they’ll only consider changing Holmes’ role if his performance suggests a need to lessen his workload. “I don’t think we’re going to slow him down,” he said. “I believe he’ll go deeper into games, and that’s crucial for us.”
