Getty Aaron Boone
The New York Yankees are looking to make it back to the postseason after a disappointing 2023 campaign. Offseason additions like Juan Soto and Marcus Stroman will be key in the Yankees World Series chase. After the Yankees spring training game against the Mets, on Tuesday, manager Aaron Boone spoke about another important piece on the team, Clay Holmes.
“He’s our closer. We need him to be great for us to be where we expect to be as a team,” Boone told SNY postgame on March 5. “That’s our expectation for him. He knows that. He’s one of the real dynamic relievers in the game. Especially when he really gets it rolling as we’ve seen over the last few years.”
Holmes is just one piece of the puzzle in the Yankees bullpen in 2024. No major additions and key losses put a lot of pressure on one of the best bullpens in the Major Leagues to continue its run of success.
Clay Holmes’ Future With the Yankees
Holmes seems to be locked in as the closer for the club in 2024, but beyond that is up in the air. Holmes is in the final year of his contract with the Yankees but is not letting contract uncertainty cloud his mindset.
“I always dream of winning a World Series in New York. I feel we have a chance to do that this year. That’s where I’m at,” Holmes told reporters, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. “I’m looking forward to this season. That’s where my mental energy is toward. Obviously, I love playing for the Yankees. I love the guys in the locker room. With that being said, I look forward to this year and see where that goes.”
The Yankees acquired Holmes from the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021 for Hoy Park and Diego Castillo. Holmes’ career took a turnaround when he arrived in New York as he drastically improved his ERA and started pitching in save situations.
Holmes’ Impact on the Yankees Bullpen
The Yankees did not make any major additions to their bullpen in the offseason. In 2023 the Yankees bullpen posted a 3.34 ERA, a league best. Holmes served as the team’s closer and recorded 24 saves in 27 opportunities. However, that group has now lost Michael King and Wandy Peralta to the Padres.
Holmes posted a 2.86 ERA in 63.0 innings in 2023. Since joining the Yankees in 2021 he has a 2.50 ERA and 44 saves. Holmes does not rack up saves like other closers such as Emmanuel Clase or Josh Hader, but he is essential to the Yankees bullpen’s success as a whole. He will be relied on even more in 2024 with the losses of King and Peralta.
“Obviously, King and Wandy were familiar pitchers for us. … But if we keep putting guys in good spots and the guys trust their stuff, I think there is no reason we can’t repeat what we did last year,” Holmes said. “The stuff down there is incredible. I think if we attack the zone, trust it, [there] will be no worries about it.”
Aaron Boone will be pressed with finding production in place of King and Peralta to have another dominant bullpen. While the Yankees will see changes in how the bullpen is handled, one thing that does not seem to be changing is who the Yankees want pitching when they have a chance to shut the door.