Mets reportedly sign former Yankees closer Clay Holmes to be a starting pitcher

The Mets added another potential starting pitcher to their staff, adding former Yankees closer Clay Holmes on a 3/$38 million deal Friday night, pending a physical. Holmes made the All-Star team as a reliever in two of the past three seasons, including 2024. But things fell apart for Holmes in the second half, resulting in him losing his spot as the team’s closer. And now the plan is for him to convert to a starter. Holmes has been strictly a reliever the past six seasons, last making a start in 2018, his debut season in the majors.

Early in his career, Holmes had a diverse repertoire. But in his last three seasons, he’s been almost exclusively a sinker/slider pitcher. When he first arrived in the majors, Holmes threw those two pitches, along with a four-seamer, cutter, curve and change, too. It will be curious to see which of those offerings the Mets will have Holmes re-introduce, as very few starters throw only two pitches.

His main pitch is his slider, which Holmes has great success throwing. He got in trouble last year with his sinker, which was a negative offering, after several years being at least successful as his slider.

While Holmes threw a bunch of pitches previously, he didn’t have a whole lot of success with them, which makes the decision to scrap them understandable. Holmes had good success with his cutter back in 2018 but he only threw it 11.3% of the time and ditched it completely the following season.

It seems odd that after years of keeping Seth Lugo in the bullpen, when he wanted to be a starter, that the Mets are going to convert Holmes to the rotation. At first glance, it seems a risky move. Yet it seems likely that David Stearns would consider it far-less risky than giving Corbin Burnes a seven-year deal.

It’s not a move that I would make. At the same time, it seems prudent to give Stearns the benefit of the doubt here. Not to beat a dead horse but even with legitimate concerns about how Holmes will transition to the rotation, my preference would be to have Holmes at 3/$38 than Luis Severino at 3/$67.