by Perhaps it’s no surprise that the Mets are among the teams interested in bringing together the former Yankees. Clay Holmes.
But what will probably surprise you is that the Mets and other interested teams are inquiring about Holmes as a potential starting pitching option, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Holmes, who will be 32 when the 2025 regular season begins, hasn’t started a single game since his rookie season of 2018, when he started four games for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Sherman says teams are more aggressively looking to bring relievers back into the rotation after seeing the success of others like the former Yankee. Michael King and former Met Seth Lugo, who finished as an AL Cy Young finalist after returning to the starting role as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
Sherman also notes that Holmes has the pitch repertoire to be a starter, as he throws a four-seamer, sinker, sweeper and slider, and could develop a changeup. His sinker, which he has thrown 56% of the time in 2024, is considered his dominant offering.
Holmes earned his second career All-Star nod with the Yankees in 2024, posting a 3.14 ERA while recording 30 saves. That said, he led the majors with 13 blown saves.
Still, Holmes was great overall in his three and a half seasons as a Yankee, posting a 2.69 ERA with 74 saves.
