In Miami, the Mets are facing some uncertainties with their pitching lineup. Clay Holmes is set to start on Saturday, but the decision is a bit muddled.
Manager Carlos Mendoza has two options for game number 161: Holmes and Sean Manaea. Both pitched in relief on Wednesday, but Mendoza feels Holmes has bounced back quicker from that outing.
“Clay has been feeling better,” Mendoza noted before the Mets’ 6-2 loss to the Marlins. “Sean is doing okay today, but I based it on how they felt on Thursday to go this route.”
The Mets find themselves in a tight spot for the final NL wildcard slot, tied on the standings against Cincinnati due to the tiebreaker.
Arizona is still in the mix as well. They kicked off their second game of the day and played late in San Diego.
Should the Mets still be in contention come Sunday, Mendoza might lean towards using Manaea and David Peterson, although both have had their struggles. It’s also worth mentioning that he hasn’t ruled out the option of going to them earlier for relief, if necessary.
Speaking of Holmes, he has been the most reliable option among the starters, apart from Nolan McLean, who has shined only in major league games. However, Holmes has primarily come out of the bullpen in recent outings, first starting for Mania last Sunday before appearing in relief on Wednesday.
With experience pitching under pressure for the Yankees, including three postseason games, Holmes shared his thoughts: “You feel strong and excited. You realize you’re playing for something. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. The most crucial thing is, there’s no tomorrow. You have to focus on today to push through.”
This season, Holmes has put up a 3.66 ERA over 159⅔ innings since transitioning to a starting role. His recent game against the Padres didn’t go as planned, though, as they suffered back-to-back defeats since September 16.
Meanwhile, left-handed Manaea has struggled in his last two outings, allowing just one run over five innings against the Padres in a relief role.
With an ERA of 5.80 in 14 appearances this season, Manaea commented on the challenge of these late-season games. “It’s definitely going to be tough. I think everyone feels the pressure we’ve been under for the past few months.”
Then there’s Peterson, who has hit a rough patch, giving up at least six runs in three of his last five starts. He might find himself stepping into the spotlight come Sunday, if necessary.
