The Chicago Cubs have been playing very good baseball as of late. They are winners of four out of their last five MLB games and kicked off a weekend set with a win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday evening.
Ahead of the Cubs-Royals game on Saturday evening, Chicago announced a piece of Clay Holmes news, which is pertinent to the game later this evening.
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Cubs Activate Clay Holmes Before Royals Game
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 15: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Citi Field on May 15, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs will get the first taste of their newly acquired pitcher Clay Holmes on Saturday, as he has been activated off the 60-day IL.
The last time Clay Holmes pitched was back in mid-May with the New York Mets. Chicago. acquired him in a deal that included Tyrone Taylor. Holmes has been announced as the Cubs starter on Sat.
CBSSports’ RotoWire staff wrote (on 8/8):
“Holmes has been on the shelf since May due to a fractured fibula. He made three rehab starts in the minors while he was still in the Mets organization, logging a 3.86 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 11.2 innings. He built up to 73 pitches during his final rehab outing, so he isn’t likely to have a significant workload restriction while he makes his Cubs debut against a Royals offense that’s posted just a .688 OPS since the All-Star break. Braxton Garrett was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.”
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Inside Clay Holmes’ Season Thus Far
Clay Holmes has been on the IL for the last several months with a fibula issue.
Holmes is a 2X MLB All-Star pitcher who transitioned into being a full-time starter last season, but the injury to his foot led to a prolonged rehab.
Across nine starts and 52.2 IP this season, Holmes has boasted an ERA of 2.39 with 45 strikeouts.
He became a very strong trade candidate due to the Mets’ struggles, and the Cubs went ahead and swooped him in a multi-player trade. Holmes has a player option for the 2027 season, but if he finishes the 2026 campaign strong, he may want to test free agency for a more lucrative deal.
Now, he makes his Cubs debut, and if things hold, Holmes could be a vital piece in a potential deep playoff run for Chicago.
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Chicago Cubs Announce Clay Holmes News Before Royals Game