May 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes (35) delivers during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
Frontline starter, stopper, ace — whatever you want to call it, Clay Holmes is just that.
The New York Mets’ veteran right-hander continued his brilliant 2026 campaign with 6.2 sterling innings on Sunday evening against the Los Angeles Angels, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
With it, he lowered his season ERA to 1.69 through seven starts, which ranks second in the National League behind Justin Wrobleski (1.25) of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The mettle of a top-tier arm is certainly there. He allowed the first two men of the game to lead off and threw 27 pitches in the first inning, but got inning-ending double plays to get out of the first two frames. He retired 14 of the last 18 batters he faced.
“It’s unbelievable,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We saw it again [Sunday]. That first inning was a battle after the first couple of guys got on, and he’s up to like, 30-something pitches. Before you know it, he’s able to get to those middle innings. Kept making pitches and for him to go back out for the seventh, he’s just on another level right now physically, mentally.”
Over his last three starts (19.2 innings), Holmes has allowed just three earned runs and has gone at least six frames in all of them. He’s already pitched into the seventh inning twice in seven starts after doing so just once last year.
His arsenal is working — a sinker being supported by a deep mix that features a sweeper, changeup, cutter, and curveball to go with a four-seamer.
“I think for me there’s kind of a comfort thing, and I feel like the trust with the sinker was always there, but I feel like, especially now, there’s a lot of confidence and trust with the sinker,” Holmes said. “That’s who I was as a reliever, and I knew that was who I would be as a starter. But I felt like I had the confidence and the trust of the sinker, and when I have that, I feel like I’m able to pitch off of it and really feel like myself and pitch with some confidence.”
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