The Mets were attending the general managers’ meetings in San Antonio last month when Clay Holmes’ agent suggested turning the two-time All-Star closer back into a starting pitcher for the first time since his rookie season.
“The arsenal should work against both sides of the plate. He has, we think, the variety of stuff to turn over a lineup multiple times,” said Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns on Tuesday, a day after Holmes and New York finalized a $38 million, three-year contract.
“You start adding all of those up and that leads you to believe this could be an effective major league starter.”
Holmes will receive a salary of $13 million for each of the first two seasons of the contract and has a $12 million player option for 2027. The 31-year-old right-hander made his only four big league starts with Pittsburgh in 2018 but had 114 starts in the minors.
Holmes’ sinker averaged 96.6 mph this season, and he threw it 56% of the time, along with 23% sliders and 21% sweepers. He is likely to add a changeup to his pitch arsenal.
“I think the usage is going to change a little bit,” Stearns said. “He may have to introduce some new stuff that we believe he can do. And if he’s able to do that I think we’re going to have someone who’s going to be a very solid contributor in our rotation.”
Holmes became a dominant closer with the New York Yankees after being traded from the Pirates in July 2021. However, he struggled this year with control and giving up hits on soft contact. Holmes lost his closer role to Luke Weaver after giving up a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on September 3.
Holmes finished the season 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA and a career-high 30 saves in 67 appearances, leading the majors with 13 blown saves. After rediscovering his sinker, he became an effective setup man for the AL champion Yankees in the postseason, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 13 games.
“In this day and age with relievers who continue to refine what they do, frankly with the pitch-design resources that all these guys have in front of them, I think there are frankly a number of relievers that have considered converting, especially those who had started previously in their careers,” Stearns said. “So, no, it didn’t shock me.”
Holmes will join a rotation that is expected to include right-handers Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas, and Paul Blackburn, along with left-hander David Peterson.
