While signing Juan Soto was about as much of a slam dunk as you can possibly imagine, the New York Mets' approach to the rest of their offseason felt like a bit of a gamble. Case in point: former New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes, whom the team signed to be a starting pitcher despite the fact that he had no Major League experience in that role.
The Holmes experiment at first seemed like a curiosity. Then, as injuries piled up in the Mets rotation, it seemed increasingly crucial to New York's hopes of winning the NL East in 2025. Then he started blowing people away in spring training, and it seemed like arguably the steal of the winter — if he could sustain it over the long haul. And now, the Mets have given the righty the ultimate show of confidence, announcing that Holmes will be the team's Opening Day starter in a couple weeks' time.
Many were skeptical about David Stearns and New York’s faith in Holmes. But New York is not shying away from their confidence in signing the 31-year-old as a full-time starter, and they're about to give him the ultimate test.
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Potential Clay Holmes breakout will get started on Opening Day
Getting the ball on Opening Day is an honor under any circumstances. But this isn't just any ordinary Opening Day start: This is the first game of the most anticipated Mets season in recent memory, on the road, against a dangerous Houston Astros team. It's safe to say that New York is feeling confident in Holmes' growth as a starter.
And why shouldn't they be? Across three appearances in spring training, the former Yankees reliever has looked stellar, pitching 9.2 innings without allowing a run while striking out 13. He's already proven to be one of the best ground-ball pitchers in the game over his time in New York; just last season, he had the best ground-ball percentage in MLB. And he's now added a new pitch to his arsenal over the offseason, which he calls a kick change. His fastball touches the upper 90s, and his sinker has worked well for him his entire career. Holmes also features a slider, sweeper, and cutter.
Watched two Holmes starts from the stands this spring. The stuff is elite. https://t.co/m2OTGcVzHl
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) March 14, 2025
New York’s rotation is a question mark heading into 2025. An injury to Frankie Montas will keep him out for a significant period, and Sean Manaea will miss at least the first month. David Peterson and Kodai Senga should be reliable, but the Mets' back-end features Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, and Paul Blackburn.
If Holmes can pitch in the regular season like he has this spring, it will change the narrative around Mendoza’s rotation. Once Manaea returns, they’d have three front-end starters: himself, Senga, and Holmes. Having Peterson as their four, after pitching to a 2.90 ERA last season, would help lift the backend. Stearns is hopeful Brandon Sproat, the team's No. 1 prospect, will also make an impact at some point this season. If all goes well, the Mets will have one of the top rotations in MLB. Nevertheless, Holmes is the biggest X-factor in the mix. They’re showing their faith by making a bold move by giving him the ball on Opening Day, and if Holmes proves the Mets brass right, it will be a huge payoff for them in 2025.