MLB Rumors: Clay Holmes, Mets Agree to 3-Year, $38M Free-Agent Contract to Be Starter

The New York Mets and ex-New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes have agreed to a three-year, $38 million contract pending a physical, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

The Mets will try to use Holmes as a starting pitcher, according to Sherman. If that plan falls through, then he will become the setup man for closer Edwin Díaz.

Holmes, who is entering his age-32 season, went 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA (1.30 WHIP) and 30 saves in 67 games last year. However, Holmes also blew 13 saves and lost his closer job to Luke Weaver.

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Holmes out of Slocomb (Alabama) High School with a ninth-round pick in the 2011 MLB draft. Holmes was a starter in the minors for nearly his entire tenure in the farm system, going 42-29 with a 3.63 ERA (1.39 WHIP) and 7.3 K/9 rate over 134 games (114 starts).

Holmes has only started four games in the majors, all in his 2018 rookie season. He posted a 7.80 ERA in those matchups.

It didn't work out for Holmes in Pittsburgh, who traded the right-hander to the Yankees in July 2021. But he's been lights-out at times in the Bronx.

Over 220 appearances from 2021-2024, Holmes had a 2.20 ERA (1.12 WHIP) and 9.8 K/9 rate. He was especially impressive in the playoffs with a 1.35 ERA over 19 games.

Holmes certainly had his struggles in high-leverage situations, to the point where he lost his closer job. But he wildly exceeded expectations after the July 2021 deal and parlayed it into a lucrative contract.

However, there's a massive question mark about whether the Mets can turn him into a starter, where he hasn't found success in the big leagues.

New York, of course, was able to patch together a good rotation last season after signing Sean Manaea and Luis Severino on one-year deals. Those two led a staff that found itself in the NLCS.

It appears the Mets might be doing the same in 2025, signing pitchers on lower-cost contracts and hoping for big returns. They've already signed Frankie Montas (4.84 ERA in 30 starts in 2024) to a two-year, $34 million deal and the now-starter Holmes as well.

We'll see if the experiment works out, but the Mets do have an eighth-inning fallback plan with Holmes in case it doesn't.