Yankees All-Star Bolts for Hated Rival on $38 Million Contract

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Yankees ex-closer Clay Holmes (right)

While there is much angst around the Yankees involving certain a star player who just might be looking to leave, possibly (or even probably) for the Mets, the fact is, Juan Soto has yet to make a firm decision, or at least one that he’s announced in any meaningful way. The MLB world eagerly awaits.

But should he decide to do so, he will find one of his 2024 Yankees teammate has already trod the path from the Bronx to Queens. That would be pitcher Clay Holmes, who inked a three-year, $38 million contract with the Mets on Friday, leaving the Yankees after three-and-a-half seasons in pinstripes.

In an interesting twist, Holmes is landing in Queens with the intention to convert to a starter, which makes the deal a sensible one for the Mets. If Holmes, who has the sinker, sweeper and slider to be a starter, makes the conversion easily, then the Mets will have a solid starter at a cheap price. If not, Holmes can always return to his role as a tested reliever.

Yankees Closer Tenure Ended Poorly

During his time with the Yankees, Holmes certainly was tested, and in most cases, he passed. He was an All-Star last year, and was an All-Star in 2022. After he was traded to New York from the Pirates in 2021, Holmes was virtually unhittable, allowing just 22 baserunners in 28.0 innings, with a 1.61 ERA in 25 appearances.

But throughout 2024, even as he posted good numbers early in the season, it was clear that Holmes was living dangerously, that entrusting the closer’s role to a groundout pitcher rather than a swing-and-miss guy was not a great idea, especially not for a team with poor infield defense.

With a league-leading 10 blown saves on his rap sheet, Holmes was demoted in August from the closer’s spot, replaced by Luke Weaver, who is the favorite to keep the role next year. The Yankees will need to beef up their bullpen to give themselves both closer options and better setup arms, because Weaver had never earned a save in his nine-year career until last September.

The Yankees will need options.

Clay Holmes Could Make the Transition

As for Holmes, he was not going to be a starter for the Yankees, who arguably have too many middling starters on the roster as it is. The Yankees have Gerrit Cole, are hoping Luis Gil’s stellar 2024 was not a one-off, and will likely return with Carlos Rodon. Perhaps Clarke Schmidt will get a chance, too.

If the Yankees go for one of the top arms on the free-agent market, it’s possible they could try to convert some of their backend starters–Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, into relief help.

Former Mets and Orioles executive Jim Duquette, one of the hosts of “Power Alley” on MLB Radio, spoke about the prospects of Holmes converting into a starter.

“There are stories of it happening,” Duquette said. “Because of the dearth of quality starting pitching, one of the ideas is, let’s see if there’s a reliever that profiles out as a guy that could make that conversion. If you look at Holmes and his career—what, he was, early on in his minor-league career, he was a starter. He does have experience in that.”