DALLAS (AP) — The Mets were in the midst of the general managers meetings in San Antonio last month when Clay Holmes' agent brought up the idea of converting the two-time All-Star closer back into a starting pitcher for the first time since his rookie season.
“The arsenal should work against both both sides of the plate. He has, we think, the variety of stuff to turn over a lineup multiple times,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Tuesday, a day after Holmes and New York finalized a $38 million, three-year contract. “You start adding all of those up and that leads you to believe this could be an effective major league starter.”
Holmes gets a $13 million salary in each of the first two seasons of the deal and has a $12 million player option for 2027. The 31-year-old right-hander made his only four big league starts with Pittsburgh in 2018 but made 114 in the minors.
Holmes’ sinker averaged 96.6 mph this season and he threw it 56% of the time, along with 23% sliders and 21% sweepers. Adding a changeup is likely.
“I think the usage is going to change a little bit,” Stearns said. “He may have to introduce some new stuff that we believe he can do. And if he’s able to do that I think we’re going to have someone who’s going to be a very solid contributor in our rotation.”
Holmes developed into a dominant closer with the New York Yankees after he was acquired from the Pirates in July 2021. But he struggled this year with control and allowing hits on soft contact. Holmes lost his closer’s job to Luke Weaver after allowing a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on Sept. 3.
Holmes was 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA and a career-high 30 saves in 67 appearances, leading the majors with 13 blown saves. Rediscovering his sinker, he became an effective setup man for the AL champion Yankees in the postseason, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 13 games.
“In this day and age with relievers who continue to refine what they do, frankly with the pitch-design resources that all these guys have in front of them, I think there are frankly a number of relievers that have considered converting, especially those who had started previously in their careers,” Stearns said. “So, no, it didn't shock me.”
Holmes joins a rotation projected to include right-handers Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas and Paul Blackburn, and left-hander David Peterson.
Runner-up for 2023 NL Rookie of the Year, Senga was limited to one regular-season start and three postseason appearances because of a right shoulder capsule strain, strained left calf and right triceps tightness.
Head athletic trainer Joseph Golia is to travel to Tokyo on Wednesday to check on Senga.
“He is a healthy player who’s progressing through his offseason,” Stearns said. “He has not begun to throw yet, but that’s not necessarily abnormal for Senga as he goes through his offseason. We still expect him to be a pitcher for us on opening day and be ready to go.”
Stearns said Senga's mechanics, which were off during the playoffs, will be monitored.
“We have to get not only the medical piece checked off, which I think we will be able to, but we also have to have a pitcher who feels really confident where he is from a mechanical perspective to compete and win games for us,” Stearns said. “It accentuates the need for depth, and that’s something that we talk about a lot and the desire to ensure that we have eight to 10 starting pitchers somewhere in our organization that we feel really confident about.”
Stearns is planning a six-man rotation for most of the season but one that drops to five when there are two days off in a week.
Stearns says there is no set payroll budget under owner Steve Cohen. The Mets have a pending record contract with All-Star outfielder Juan Soto that will be worth $765 million over 15 seasons.
“Steve and I talk about investments as they come and players as they become available in different opportunities and we’re evaluating each individual decision,” Stearns said. “As we have discussions, we’re constantly talking through the benefits and drawbacks of every decision. We’ve run very high payrolls. I think we’re going to continue to run high payrolls, but it’s not limitless and I understand that. So even if there’s not a firm, `this is the ceiling,' I have to be disciplined because it’s not limitless and you have to leave yourself room to constantly improve the team.”
Stearns laughed when asked whether Grimace, the kid-friendly McDonald’s character, was part of the Mets' video pitch to Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. Grimace became a good-luck charm after he threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field and New York went on a seven-game winning streak.
“I don't believe that Grimace made — I can't believe I'm answering this — I don't believe that Grimace made an appearance in the Roki Sasaki presentation,” Stearns said. “If we don’t get the player, we now know why.”
New York sold its Triple-A Syracuse and Class A Brooklyn farm teams to Diamond Baseball Holdings, which bought Double-A Binghamton in April. The purchases increased Diamond's total to 38 minor league teams. Stearns said the change in owners will not impact baseball operations.
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