On Sunday, New York Mets‘ pitcher Clay Holmes delivered another compelling chapter in his transition from reliever to starter, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed. The stat line tells part of the story—eight strikeouts and three walks—but the real intrigue lies in how he got there.
Holmes, a project of the Mets’ player development machine, is proving that their offseason bet on him might just pay off in a big way.
Adapting on the Go
Holmes didn’t have his best weapon on Sunday. His sinker, usually his bread and butter, wasn’t cooperating. For some pitchers, that’s like a chef losing their favorite knife mid-service—panic could set in. Instead, Holmes adjusted, relying on his growing arsenal, particularly his changeup.
“Sinker wasn’t there early,” Holmes admitted. “It kind of just forced me to pitch a little bit, which I think is good learning here in spring training.”
That’s the beauty of spring—learning on the go. And Holmes wasn’t just surviving out there; he was thriving. His changeup alone induced six whiffs on eight swings, while his sweeper played the role of an ace in the hole.
The Evolution of a Starter
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza saw Sunday’s outing as a crucial step in Holmes’ evolution. “He had to pitch today,” Mendoza said, acknowledging the challenge of not having a go-to pitch. As a reliever, Holmes could afford to lean heavily on his sinker, knowing he’d only face a handful of batters. But as a starter? That’s a different ballgame.
“Now as a starter, he’s just finding a way to—‘let me use the slider, the changeup, the cutter, the four-seam’—finding a way to get through innings. And he did that today,” Mendoza explained.
Holmes has clearly embraced that mindset. The Mets didn’t just see him as a reclamation project; they saw untapped potential. They worked with him to refine his secondary pitches, and now, when one weapon falters, he has others to lean on.
Building Up for the Season
Holmes is now up to 67 pitches, creeping closer to a full starter’s workload. The transition has been smooth so far, but the real tests will come when the calendar flips to late March and early April. That’s when outings like Sunday’s will truly be put to the test.
For now, though, the Mets have every reason to be thrilled with their experiment. Holmes is proving that he’s not just adapting to the role—he’s excelling in it.