I Have Mad Respect For Clay Holmes

The Mets made waves Friday, snatching up a free agent from the Yankees—but not that free agent. No, Juan Soto is still out there deliberating on where to spend the next 12-15 years of his life, but in the meantime, the Mets locked down Clay Holmes on a three-year, $38 million deal (pending a physical). While it might not be Soto-level headlines, this signing is intriguing for one big reason: Holmes, a reliever for a while now, wants to be a starter.

Let’s pause for dramatic effect.

Yes, Clay Holmes, a man who has spent seven years coming out of the bullpen, has decided it’s time to embrace his inner Justin Verlander. To his credit, he’s got guts. Holmes has been a reliable (though occasionally nerve-wracking) reliever, posting a career ERA+ of 113 across 311 games—307 of which were relief appearances. But now, at 31 years old, Holmes is ready to reinvent himself. If nothing else, you’ve got to respect the audacity.

Holmes didn’t exactly burst onto the MLB scene. Drafted by the Pirates, he spent seven years in the minors and then three-plus seasons as a middling reliever in Pittsburgh, where he compiled a forgettable 4.93 ERA. Then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes—or maybe just a guy who needed a change of scenery—Holmes found new life with the Yankees.

When the Yankees acquired him at the 2021 trade deadline for two minor leaguers (who are probably running batting cages somewhere), Holmes immediately clicked. He slashed his ERA to 1.61 in 25 games and quickly became a bullpen staple. By 2022, he replaced Aroldis Chapman as closer, made his first All-Star team, and looked like the Yankees’ new ninth-inning sheriff.

But then came 2023. Holmes started 2023 strong but hit turbulence late in the season. By September, he was removed from the closer’s role after racking up 13 blown saves. The Yankees pivoted, using him in a setup role during their postseason run, where he pitched respectably (2.25 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 12 innings). Still, the shine had dimmed, and questions about his long-term role swirled.

Apparently, Holmes had an answer: starter.  Enter the Mets, who are apparently feeling experimental these days. They’ve signed Holmes with the plan to convert him into a starter, despite his complete lack of experience in the role at the major-league level. The Mets clearly see potential, and hey, $38 million isn’t chump change. Maybe they’re hoping for another Nathan Eovaldi-type reinvention. Or maybe they just really like rolling the dice.

As for Yankees fans, it’s hard not to feel a mix of emotions…slightly. On one hand, Holmes’ bullpen heroics in 2021 and 2022 earned him a lot of goodwill. On the other hand, there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing the balls on this guy wanting to start a new in Queens in a pretty significant role. It takes guts to pivot your career after all these years, especially under the bright lights of New York. That said, I’m skeptical. Reinventing yourself as a starter at this stage is a tall order, and Holmes’ track record doesn’t scream “ace material.”

At the end of the day though, there’s mad respect for Holmes taking this leap. It’s not every day a two-time All-Star reliever says, “You know what? Let’s rewrite the script.” Whether it works out or not, Holmes deserves credit for betting on himself—and for pocketing $38 million while doing it.