Clay Holmes has stellar outing in spring training debut with Mets

Clay Holmes' first spring training start with the New York Mets could not have gone any better.

Feb 22, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) walks in from the bullpen area before the game against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Clay Holmes' spring training debut with the New York Mets in front of the second-largest crowd in a spring home opener at Clover Park could not have gone better for the righty.

Holmes, who signed a three-year, $38 million contract (with an opt-out after 2026) this offseason, pitched three perfect innings with three strikeouts in the Mets' 6-2 win against the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Speaking with reporters after his start, the 31-year-old was asked about what it meant for him to get the nod in the Mets' first spring training game of 2025.

"The most excited I've been to pitch. It’s definitely been up there...new team, first start kind of in a real game in a while," Holmes said. "Reflecting on that and just kind of realizing where I'm at and the opportunity I have and who I'm doing it with, it was an exciting day and I especially felt it."

"Just the opportunity I have with this team, it made it a special day for me."

Clay Holmes talks about starting the Mets' spring training opener: pic.twitter.com/Z6KNwgO4zD

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 22, 2025

The veteran right-hander is expected to be an important part of the Mets’ rotation, which has plenty of question marks going into the season. Following Holmes’ first outing, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was especially pleased with the results.

"Everything that he threw today was really, really good," Mendoza said. "Not only the sinker, the sweeper, even the four-seam, the cutter, the changeup was a plus pitch for him today. Not only to lefties, he threw one right on right... that was pretty nasty. The velo[city], the movement, how he uses all of his pitches, got ground balls—we all know he's a groundball guy—got up to 98 [mph] I think it was... he was on today."

"Everything that he threw today was really, really good."

Carlos Mendoza on Clay Holmes' three perfect innings today: pic.twitter.com/Cyb4vHAnVK

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 22, 2025

Read More: Why Mets' David Stearns thinks Clay Holmes can excel as a starter

After enduring a frustrating season as the New York Yankees closer last year, where he blew a major league-high 13 saves, Holmes' transition as a starter for the first time in nearly seven years was deemed a potential risk for the Mets. But after his strong start against the Astros, this move to the rotation for Holmes, at least for the moment, looks like it may pan out.

Holmes will now hope that this first outing as a starter can be a building block for him and can help solidify himself as a reliable starting pitcher for the Amazins'.