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It’s not so much a matter of if the Yankees will demote Clay Holmes from the team’s closer role, or even when they will demote him from that spot. No, at this point, they have demoted Clay Holmes but just don’t quite have an obvious alternative when save situations arrive.
Holmes, an All-Star last month, blew his league-leading 10th save over the weekend in a loss to the Tigers, a familiar pattern in recent years. Holmes is 1-4 this season with a 2.82 ERA and a WHIP of 1.294, his worst as a Yankee. Last year, he had a miserable August (7.84 ERA, 1.839 WHIP) and lost his closer’s job before rallying and taking the job back in a dominant September.
In 2022, he struggled with injury and ineffectiveness in July and August, but finished out September as the closer again, notching three saves in the month. He was then a very good reliever in October, though not always as the closer. He struck out seven in 6.0 innings and did not allow a run in five appearances in that year’s postseason.
So, what to do with Holmes having a rough go of things lately? Manager Aaron Boone was not specific, but at CBS Sports, in a deep dive on Holmes’ struggles, they were: The dreaded closer by committee.
Yankees’ Bullpen Committee Already in Place
In an article titled, “What’s behind Yankees closer Clay Holmes’ blown saves? Plus where else the Bombers could turn in the ninth,” CBS’s Mike Axisa writes that the Yankees’ best play at this point is to work matchups at the end of games, using some of their most effective bullpen options to handle specific situations.
Yes, the committee, which is an arrangement managers can handle here in August, but really do not like to have in October.
“If the Yankees do replace Holmes in the closer’s role, their best option is a closer by committee,” Axisa wrote. “Changeup specialist Tommy Kahnle has been lights out against lefties and has been for years. He could close when a bunch of lefties are due up in the ninth. Setup man Luke Weaver has been New York’s best reliever this year. He’s an option too. Jake Cousins, a slider monster who annihilates righties, could be the guy in the right spot as well.”
CBS references the fact that the Yankees are in this bind, in part, because the team did not land the true closer GM Brian Cashman sought at the trade deadline. Tanner Scott of the Marlins was their top target, but they were outbid by the Padres.
Clay Holmes Could Take Back Closer Job
Instead, the Yankees got Mark Leiter Jr. from the Cubs, and he has not exactly earned Boone’s trust. In 9.1 innings, Leiter has allowed 16 hits and an ERA of 5.79. Leiter had never really been a closer, anyway, but there should be some trepidation about even having him be part of the Yankees’ “committee.”
Boone, for his part, left his options open when addressing the issue this week before the start of the Guardians series. He was asked whether Holmes would still be counted on in save situations.
“Could very well be,” Boone said, via SNY.com. “I will leave that open and try and put these guys in places where they match up really well. So, we’ll see…. Clay has thrown the ball incredibly well. He’s got to finish off a couple of at-bats here and there that obviously hurt us. So, we’ll put these guys in a position we think they can be most successful.”
Much like in recent years, Boone kept open the possibility of Holmes reclaiming the job. But others will get a crack.
“I expect it to be Clay a lot of nights,” Boone said. “But if I feel like that really good matchup for Clay is in the eighth on a given night or what’s coming around in the ninth for [Luke Weaver] or Tommy [Kahnle] or whoever, then I’ll be open to doing that a little bit more than I have.”
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