New York Mets starter Clay Holmes must fix this glaring stat

Clay Holmes is hoping to avoid this ongoing trend in his start tonight against the Baltimore Orioles.

Jun 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes (35) pitches in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

As the New York Mets start a three-game series tonight against the Baltimore Orioles, they will have their first-year starter, Clay Holmes, on the mound for them.

After signing a three-year, $38 million deal with an opt-out after the 2026 season, the former reliever has had a nice season as a full-time starter. However, despite an 8-4 record and 2.99 ERA in his 17 starts thus far, Holmes' last three starts have not been as sharp due to this emerging weakness, which must change tonight in his start against Baltimore.

That glaring issue for the 32-year-old has been his high walk rate.

Over his last three starts, Holmes has walked an alarming 14 batters in just 14.3 innings of work. That high walk rate has resulted in Holmes not having thrown a pitch in the sixth inning since June 7 against the Colorado Rockies, taxing an already beleaguered Mets' bullpen. On the season, the righty hurler has walked a career-high 39 batters, albeit in a career-high 93.1 innings.

One of those starts for Holmes saw him walk a career-high six batters on 104 pitches against the Atlanta Braves on June 19; he lasted just 4.2 innings as a result of the free passes. After that game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked by reporters if he was worried about Holmes' workload.

"I'm not going to say I'm concerned, but this is something that we're watching closely."

Carlos Mendoza was asked how concerned he is about Clay Holmes' workload in his first season of being a regular starting pitcher: pic.twitter.com/B096NacydF

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 20, 2025

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The Amazins' are expected to get some much-needed starting rotation help this week, as Kodai Senga (hamstring strain) is expected to return on Friday, while Sean Manaea (oblique strain) is also on the horizon to make his season debut. But the Mets are still counting on Holmes to be an effective starter.

Even though Holmes is in uncharted territory this season, having not been a starter since 2018, he can not afford to have these control issues as the season rolls on. The right-hander can start fixing that problem tonight against an Orioles team that has disappointed this year.