Mets agree to terms with former Yankees reliever Clay Holmes SNY’s Andy Martino confirmed their offseason spending continues on a three-year, $38 million contract. The agreement has an exception after the second year.
Holmes finished the 2024 season with a solid 3.14 ERA (1.30 WHIP) in 63 innings and a career-high 30 saves, but he also blew 13 save opportunities and lost his role as the closer late in the season.
The 31-year-old doesn’t foresee himself getting any closer during his time in Queens, as the crown still belongs to Edwin Diaz. In fact, the Mets have no intention of using Holmes as a reliever at all, instead planning to convert him to a starting pitcher, according to Passano.
In seven seasons — all as a reliever (except his first season in 2018 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he made four starts) — the right-hander is 24-22 with a 3.71 ERA (1.30 WHIP). Since being traded to the Yanks for the 2021 season, Holmes has been converted to a closer and has really stepped up, posting a 2.69 ERA (1.11 WHIP) over 217.2 innings.
Regardless, he’ll probably join now Kodai Senga, David Peterson and recently signed Frankie Montas in the starting rotation for 2025.