Mets’ Starter In Line to Make Next Start Despite Early Exit

New York Mets starter Clay Holmes is in line to start Wednesday despite leaving Friday’s game with a hamstring injury.

Apr 10, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The New York Mets held their breath on Friday when starter Clay Holmes exited the game against the Athletics with a hamstring injury. On Sunday, an update from manager Carlos Mendoza had the team and its fans breathing a sigh of relief.

“(I) talked to him earlier, he feels good,” Mendoza said to reporters. “The plan is for him to go out there and do his normal throwing routine. He’s scheduled to throw his bullpen tomorrow, and the goal is for him to make his next start in LA.”

Here’s where Clay Holmes was pulled with an apparent injury.

Mets cannot afford to lose another key player. pic.twitter.com/9q6nXFIhHH

— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) April 11, 2026

Holmes was pitching well in Friday’s game and managed to go 5.1 innings, while only allowing a single earned run. The former Yankees reliever struggled a bit with his command, walking three batters and allowing five hits, while only striking out three Athletics. Through the first three starts for the rotation, Holmes has been the most consistent arm, posting a 1.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Although he leads the team with 18.0 innings pitched, he is last amongst starters with just 12 strikeouts.

If all goes according to plan, Holmes will suit up on Wednesday in the series finale of the three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the opposing mound for the Dodgers in Wednesday’s game? None other than the reigning two-time NL MVP, Shohei Ohtani.

It will be yet another difficult test for a Mets team far from the one that challenged the Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS. The Mets will be limping into the series without Juan Soto and a struggling pitching staff. Both Soto and Holmes were teammates on the Yankees, who lost to the same powerhouse Dodgers in the World Series that year.

"I think it's nothing major here and hopefully we can get it right here in a couple days."

Clay Holmes talks about his hamstring injury: pic.twitter.com/LJRi08XrsQ

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 11, 2026

Fresh off another disappointing loss on Saturday, the Mets are still seeking answers from their rotation. Before the season started, it was seen as the team’s strength, especially with the addition of Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean. But both David Peterson and Kodai Senga have struggled, notching ERAs of 6.14 and 7.07, respectively, in their first three starts (although most of the runs Senga allowed came in his start on Saturday).

After exiting Friday’s game, Holmes was optimistic about how his hamstring felt. The starter’s removal was likely precautionary, as he was seen wincing and stretching out on the mound in between pitches. Holmes had already thrown 81 pitches when he was removed, which is slightly less than the 90 pitches he threw in both of his first two starts.

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