Clay Holmes Set to Make History on Birthday as New York Mets' Opening Day Starter

Coming off three seasons as the New York Yankees' closer, Clay Holmes is taking the bump for the New York Mets on Opening Day the same day he is turning 32 years old.

Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches during a spring training workout at Clover Park. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Thursday is a big day for Clay Holmes, and not just because he will be starting for the New York Mets in their Opening Day showdown with the Houston Astros.

Holmes is also turning 32 years old, celebrating his birthday by ringing in the start of the 2025 regular season. After going 1-1 with a 0.93 ERA in spring training, Holmes will get to make his first official appearance since leaving the New York Yankees in free agency this winter.

According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, Thursday will mark the eighth time in the last 125 MLB seasons that a pitcher started on Opening Day on their birthday. Ryan Drese was the last to achieve the feat, doing so with the Texas Rangers in 2005, while Jon Lieber did so with the Chicago Cubs in 2001.

Before them, nobody had done it since Bert Blyleven in 1979 or Catfish Hunter in 1976.

It’s Clay Holmes’ birthday. Birthdays are important.

This will be the 8th time in the last 125 seasons a pitcher starts on Opening Day on his bday, joining:

2005 Ryan Drese
2001 Jon Lieber
1979 Bert Blyleven
1976 Catfish Hunter
1973 Blyleven
1971 Marty Pattin
1906 Vic Willis

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 27, 2025

Holmes spent the past three seasons as the Yankees' closer, so he will be joining some exclusive company by diving head-first into the top of the Mets' rotation.

Langs also noted that Holmes is set to become the second pitcher ever to start on Opening Day one year after getting a save on Opening Day. The one other player on that list is John Candelaria, who established the club with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1983.

Candelaria notched an Opening Day save and start in back-to-back years as a visitor at Busch Memorial Stadium in 1982 and 1983. Holmes has the chance to match that feat at Dirkin Park in Houston this year, after getting the save for the Yankees on the road against the Astros to open last season.

Clay Holmes will be the 2nd pitcher to start on Opening Day after getting a save in a season opener the previous year (John Candelaria, 1983 Pirates), h/t @MLBNetwork research squad

Overall, he’ll be the 18th w/an Opening Day start & save in his career since saves official (‘69)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 27, 2025

Holmes hasn't started a game since his rookie year with the Pirates in 2018.

Across his three-plus seasons in the Bronx, Holmes went 19-15 with a 2.69 ERA, 1.116 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings, 74 saves and a 5.1 WAR, not including his 3-1 record, 1.35 ERA and 0.900 WHIP in 19 playoff outings. He was named an All-Star in both 2022 and 2024, helping the Yankees snap a 15-year pennant drought last fall.

A few months later, he is suiting up for New York's other franchise.

First pitch between the Mets and Astros is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Related MLB Stories

• 2025 MLB PREDICTIONS: The "Fastball On SI" staff joined forces to predict every award, division winner and World Series champion ahead of the 2025 season. CLICK HERE

• EVERY OPENING DAY SP: From Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell to Garrett Crochet, Zack Wheeler and Chris Sale, there will be no shortage of aces taking the mound across MLB on Opening Day. CLICK HERE

• FORBES MLB VALUATIONS: While the Yankees once again topped the list of the most valuable franchises in MLB, the Rockies and Rays were among the few teams with flat valuations. CLICK HERE

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.