One of the more audacious offseason decisions was taken by the New York Mets when they signed Clay Holmes, a former closer for the New York Yankees, and turned him into a full-time starter. Holmes calls the move “perfect so far.”
The right-hander, who agreed to a three-year, $38 million contract with the Mets, has been an important member of the team’s pitching rotation, helping the team maintain its position as one of the best in the NL East and among the top teams in the league.
Holmes has adjusted to his new job with ease. With a 2.74 ERA in eight starts including his most recent appearance, a six-inning, one-run outing against the Cubs on Friday, the 32-year-old is now 5-1. With a six-pitch toolkit and a meticulous approach honed over years as a high-leverage reliever, he’s doing it.
“It’s just very different as a starter,” Holmes said to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “You prepare for that moment for the entire week. I like the beginning routine more than I realized, and I can have a big influence on that one game.
This change in perspective followed many teams contacting Holmes last winter to inquire about starting. The Mets won him over with their thorough pitching analytics, even though several organizations offered him more money as a reliever.
Both pitching coach Desi Druschel and manager Carlos Mendoza, who had previously worked with the Yankees, were known to him, and he had faith in New York’s plan.
Holmes said, “This journey has been fantastic so far, and this thing has really worked out perfectly so far.”
Clay Holmes’ transition to starter is not the usual route
Holmes’ transition is one of baseball’s rare reversals, from bullpen to rotation. Few pitchers have made this switch successfully, but Holmes appears to be defying expectations. His mix includes a devastating changeup, which he reintroduced for left-handed batters, and he already is at nearly 43 innings pitched, more than halfway to his career-high of 70 innings in 2021.
Holmes was a starter in the minor levels for a spell and did log 136 innings in 2016, but that was over a decade ago.
The Mets’ pitching rotation has benefited from Holmes’ durability and preparation, especially with veterans like Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas losing time.
With a six-man rotation to keep arms fresh, New York is carefully controlling Holmes’ workload as the season goes on. However, this puts strain on their bullpen, which must play a man short because MLB only allows rosters to contain 13 pitchers.
Holmes keeps demonstrating that the Mets make smart wagers with every game. One of the most worthwhile trades of the 2025 season may be his transition from the New York Yankees to a reliable starting pitcher for the Mets.
