The New York Mets had themselves a busy offseason. They lost players such as Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo, but they also added Freddy Peralta, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, Marcus Semien, Luke Weaver and Bo Bichette.
One of their big acquisitions from the 2024-25 offseason, right-hander Clay Holmes, recently pitched for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, putting together a solid performance against Great Britain.
However, Team USA made some changes to its roster today. Pitchers Will Vest, Tyler Rogers and Tim Hill will fill the spots left by Michael Wacha, Tarik Skubal and Ryan Yarbrough, who have returned to their respective teams for spring training. In addition, Holmes’ time with Team USA has come to an end for now, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Clay Holmes Returns to New York Mets Camp
Holmes was a starter for the first time in his career in 2025. The Mets signed him with the intention of moving him to the starting rotation.
The 32-year-old is a two-time All-Star and has worked as both a starter and a reliever. However, his stint in the WBC was very brief.
Ultimately though, it might be for the best that he is returning to the Mets for the rest of spring training. The main priority should be preparing for the season and having him back at camp will give the Mets a bit of a boost.
Holmes went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts and two relief appearances last season. He also recorded 129 strikeouts over 165 2/3 innings pitched.
The Mets are going to need him healthy, and Holmes probably didn’t want to risk getting injured in the tournament and compromising his ability to pitch during the regular season.
It may ultimately be the smart choice for him to go back to the Mets and withdraw from the WBC. He has two years and $26 million remaining on his contract, but can opt out when the season ends. This could also be a strategic move by the right-hander so that he can enter free agency without having any injuries to worry about before it happens.
The Mets need him healthy, and he needs to prepare for the season. There will be plenty of criticism, but Holmes decided that this was his best course of action. He at least had the chance to pitch for Team USA and play alongside his old teammate Aaron Judge again.
What it Means for Team USA
Of course, there are other arguments that can be made about Holmes’ decision. In terms of roster change, Team USA has lost some big pieces ahead of the tournament, so that might affect them as they prepare to take on Canada tomorrow night.
Holmes was a solid piece on the pitching staff, and while they have made some good additions, it’s worth noting the players that have come off the roster, which ultimately forced these changes. It will be interesting to see how the Americans fare as the tournament finally starts. They will look to bounce back after a tough loss to Italy.
New York Mets Pitcher Returns to Camp After Brief WBC Stint