The Mets acquired a free agent from the Yankees on Friday, but the player was not acquired.
While the baseball world still awaits a decision on where Juan Soto will play (likely for the next 12-15 seasons), the Mets have traded Clay Holmes worth $38 million pending his physical, as first reported. signed a three-year contract. Written by Joel Sherman for the Post.
Holmes, who was a relief pitcher for the first seven seasons of his major league career, will transition to a starting pitcher with the Mets.
The right-handed pitcher had a 3.14 ERA in 67 relief appearances for the Yankees last season, but was removed from the closer's role in late September after making his 13th save.
The Yankees used Holmes in a setup role throughout the postseason, and Holmes appeared in 12 games, pitching well with 12 strikeouts and a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings.
Holmes, 31, is the Mets' second rotation addition of the offseason. Last week, the team reached an agreement with Frankie Montas, another former Yankees pitcher, on a two-year contract worth $34 million that includes an opt-out after next season. .
Kodai Chiga and David Peterson appear to be set for rotation spots for next season, along with Holmes and Montas.
Tyler Megill, Paul Blackburn and Jose Butt are also potential starters, but the team will likely look to the market for additional rotation players.
If Holmes cannot adapt to being a starter, or if the Mets need more of a bullpen as next season progresses, Holmes could return to relief as a setup option for Edwin Diaz.
There are a lot of fundamental metrics the Mets like about Holmes.
His whiff percentage of 30.2 last season ranked in the 84th percentile in MLB, according to Statcast.
His ground ball success rate of 64.6 was the highest in the game.
Manager Carlos Mendoza is familiar with Holmes, who spent the same time in the Bronx, which should help.
This dynamic came into play last season with the addition of Luis Severino to strengthen the Mets' rotation.
Severino agreed to a three-year contract worth $67 million with the Athletics this week, and two other members of the Mets' rotation from last season, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana, are now free agents.
Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are at the top of the free agent pitching market, but President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has shown little inclination to splurge on starting pitchers. Holmes' $38 million is the biggest guarantee for a Mets pitcher with two games for Stearns. He leads the front office in the offseason.
Chiga's return from an injury that forced him to miss nearly all games last regular season raises the possibility that the Mets will use a six-man rotation.
The team used that tactic at various points to give the Japanese right-hander more rest.
Montas was asked on a Zoom call with reporters Friday whether he supports extending the rotation.
“I probably would have pitched better if I had one more day, but I'm trying to squeeze in as many innings as possible and I want to be in a game every five days,” Montas said. “I like to be accountable to myself, and I take some kind of pride in taking the ball away every five days. … We didn't really have any conversations about it. We stuck to the five-day schedule. I want to.”
