Colin Holderman Developing Into Reliable Bullpen Option for New York Mets
The Mets are looking for at least one, if not multiple high-leverage relief arms ahead of the trade deadline to bolster their bridge to closer Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning.
Beyond Diaz, Adam Ottavino has been the Mets' next best reliever, while setup men Seth Lugo and Drew Smith have been solid, but have also endured their rough patches at times. The Mets will also likely get Trevor May back from the IL by late-July.
The Mets' bullpen entered play on Saturday with a 3.53 ERA, which is the the 10th best mark in baseball. But besides Diaz's elite season, and Ottavino's resurgence, New York has gotten some big outs from some unlikely sources this season.
One of which, rookie Colin Holderman, has quietly answered the bell whenever manager Buck Showalter has turned to him. While Holderman has been asked to pitch in both high and low leverage situations, he has proven to be capable, no matter the task.
Whether it’s pitching on the road in a close game in front of a packed house at Dodger Stadium, keeping a deficit within reach, or entering with his team down five runs, the 26-year-old has shown signs of having a potential future as a late-inning reliever. Beyond his devastating upper-90s fastball or low-90s sinker, when Holderman is healthy, no challenge is too big for him.
“I just try to treat every situation the same,” Holderman told Inside the Mets a few weeks back. “I really appreciate Buck putting me in those situations as a rookie. It shows his trust and him having confidence in me, which gives me confidence.”
For Holderman, it has been trial by fire. But so far, he has risen to the occasion by showing he has the necessary composure it takes to succeed in high-leverage situations.
“It’s definitely mental,” Holderman said of his cool cucumber mentality. “I just have to clear everything out and pretend like it’s another game. It’s one-on-one, me vs. the hitter. You gotta clear the mechanism, lock in on the target (the catcher), and forget the rest.”
The rookie has pitched in a number of different roles since making his big-league debut on May 14. Through his first 16 innings (14 appearances), the righty has posted a 2.25 ERA.
“Pressure is a privilege, so I look at it that way," Holderman said. "Every day is the same game for me.”
“I have the ultimate confidence in myself against anyone. I want to go out there and test it out and show how good I am," he added.
His lone blip of an outing came against the San Diego Padres in early-June, before it was discovered he had a minor shoulder impingement that required a brief IL stint.
Holderman certainly has the righty makeup and talent to draw a larger role in the Mets' pen, and is pleased with the early success he has endured. However, his main concern is remaining healthy.
Holderman, ninth-round draft pick of the Mets in 2016, took a little longer to reach the majors due to undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2018, plus the cancellation of the minor league season in 2020 due to the pandemic.
“It’s very satisfying, but I gotta stay on my routines to keep my shoulder and elbow healthy. I’ve been able to stay healthy during short periods in the past, but I’m trying to do it for a full-year and then several years in a row.”
“Knowing my body day to day, whether I can push it, or take it easy and just get ready for the game. In the minor leagues, you throw once and then get a couple days off. Here (in the majors), you have to be ready to throw every day, so it’s definitely a different stress on the body.”
For this reason, the Mets have been cautious with how they use the young right-hander, who they have put on a special program with the hope that it will enhance his health.
"Obviously he has a live arm, and little by little we're being careful with how we use him," manager Buck Showalter said of Holderman. "Without broadcasting it, we have a certain program with how we're going to use him in a way that we think will enhance his health."
While the Mets and Holderman continue to work the program to keep his arm and shoulder healthy, he has earned the opportunity to assume a bigger role in the Mets' bullpen moving forward. They will continue to be cautious with how they use him, but he has shown the ability and composure to get big outs when Showalter and the Mets need him.
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