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Clay Holmes Makes New York Yankees History With Save vs. Oakland Athletics

Just 12 appearances into the 2024 season, New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes already has 9 saves, putting him in some exclusive company in franchise history.

Sam Connon

Apr 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes (35) during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Apr 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes (35) during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Yankees eked out a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night, once again leaning on closer Clay Holmes to put it away.

As he has done virtually every time out this season, Holmes shut down his opponent, sitting the A's down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Holmes notched his league-leading ninth save of 2024 in the process, just 12 appearances into the season. He has also yet to allow a single earned run, owning a 0.00 ERA and a 1.083 WHIP.

According to Stathead's Katie Sharp, Holmes became the second Yankees pitcher ever to record nine saves and zero earned runs in their first 12 games of a season. Andrew Miller had previously been the only player in franchise history to achieve the feat, doing so in 2015.

Holmes has been one of baseball's most effective relievers over the past few seasons, ever since the Yankees got him from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2021 trade deadline. Across 165 appearances in pinstripes, Holmes is 17-10 with a 2.32 ERA, 1.044 WHIP, 180 strikeouts, 52 saves and a 5.1 WAR.

The right-hander was named an All-Star in 2022.

After racking up 20 saves in 2022 and 24 in 2023, it looks like Holmes is on pace to go even further here in 2024. The 31-year-old is in a contract year as well, inking a one-year, $6 million deal this past offseason to avoid arbitration, so a career year could pay dividends for Holmes in more ways than one.

New York is leading the AL East at 16-8, but they are 10-2 whenever Holmes takes the mound.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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