Kansas City Game Summary

Clay Holmes was aware that he was only expected to pitch five innings during his last start before the All-Star break, so he didn’t dwell on that limitation. In what could be considered a standard performance from him, Holmes managed to contribute to the Mets’ 3-2 loss against the Royals at Kaufman Stadium.

Shawn Mania, who came on to pitch after Holmes, finished the game but ended up allowing Nick Loftin’s walk-off RBI single, which was part of the strategy outlined by manager Carlos Mendoza.

Holmes had a couple of challenging innings. He allowed a few doubles and one run came from a hit batter, but, overall, he was efficient enough. It was good for him that he managed to induce two double plays against Bobby Witt Jr.

“It was good to get some ground balls and force contact,” Holmes remarked. “We just couldn’t make the necessary pitches with runners on base, and that ultimately cost us. But, overall, the ground balls were encouraging.”

One pitch that really didn’t work for him was a changeup that allowed John Rave to hit a two-run double. Moving from being a reliever for most of his career, he’s trying to adapt this season.

“There’s been a lot of growth,” he shared. “I feel like I’ve gathered enough experience to accurately evaluate where I’m strong and what I still need to improve on. Unless I’m just not getting ground balls, I feel good about where I’m going.”

Holmes has been with the team on a three-year contract worth $38 million, and during this season, he has posted a 3.31 ERA after logging 103⅓ innings over 19 starts. His previous best was 70 innings pitched in 2021.

“We’re keeping a close eye on him,” Mendoza noted. “He’s already surpassed his previous career-high in innings, yet he feels better physically. We’re in regular communication with him; he’s someone we rely on.”