Inside The Mets

Mets' Clay Holmes Gets Intriguing Guarantee From Carlos Mendoza

New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes doesn't need to worry about a bullpen demotion, despite his track record as a closer.
Grant Young|
Oct 5, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals during game one of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals during game one of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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The New York Mets signing of longtime Yankees reliever Clay Holmes was one of the most intriguing signings of the MLB offseason.

Not because the Mets signing Holmes was surprising. Despite struggling in the second half of the 2024 regular season, Holmes has asserted himself as one of baseball's premier bullpen pieces over the last few seasons.

And that's exactly why this signing was intriguing: because the Mets acquired him to join their starting rotation.

Holmes has only started four games in his MLB career, which came when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018.

The 31-year-old's sinker ball-centric style makes it seem like he would succeed as a starter. But even if he struggled, one would imagine that New York would want to send him back to the bullpen.

However, a January 27 article from Greg Joyce of the New York post asserted this isn't the case.

"Before he even threw a pitch in a Mets uniform, he received a nod of reassurance from Mendoza, who indicated that Holmes will stick in the rotation through good times and bad as long as he is holding up well physically," Joyce wrote.

Holmes is then quoted saying, “I know either way, I have to be my best self as a pitcher. That’s what I have to focus on. If I’m doing that, I’m going to be a good starting pitcher.” 

It sounds like Mendoza isn't willing to put Holmes back in the bullpen if he struggles as a starter. While this is a decision that might raise some eyebrows, it also surely shows Holmes that his manager has complete faith in him.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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