Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes

32-Year-Old PitcherSP
New York Mets
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Holmes saved 74 games for the Yankees from 2022 through 2024, including a career-high 30 saves last season, but he'll try his hand at starting for the Mets after inking a three-year, $38 million deal this offseason. Holmes' top skill is generating groundballs -- he has a career 66.3 percent groundball rate and has generated grounders at a 60 percent clip every year save his rookie year for Pittsburgh in 2018. Among 2024 qualified starters, Framber Valdez was the only starter with a groundball rate north of 60 percent (60.6%). The top five starters by groundball rate were Valdez, Max Fried, Cristopher Sanchez, Logan Webb and Tanner Houck, and if Holmes is as productive as even the lesser of those five, his contract will be a bargain for the Mets. Holmes hasn't topped 100 innings since 2018, when he threw 127.2 frames, and that was also the last year he made a start at any level. He probably won't build up much past 120 innings in his first year getting stretched out, and it's possible the experiment won't go as planned and the Mets move him to a setup role. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#241
ADP
$Signed a three-year, $38 million contract with the Mets in December of 2024.
Takes loss on Opening Day
PNew York Mets
March 27, 2025
Holmes (0-1) came away with the loss against the Astros on Thursday after giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
ANALYSIS
Holmes entered Opening Day on the heels of a strong spring, during which he posted a 0.93 ERA and 23:8 K:BB across 19.1 Grapefruit League innings. Thursday was his first Opening Day start and his first MLB start period since his rookie year in 2019. Holmes was able to limit the damage despite a lot of traffic, but he couldn't avoid the loss since New York managed just one run. The right-hander will look to display better control in his next start, which tentatively lines up for next week in Miami.
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Pitching Stats
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2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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2024 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
89
Last 10 Games
89
Last 5 Games
89
How many pitches does Clay Holmes generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Clay Holmes generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2023
 
 
-4%
BAA vs LHP
2025
 
 
-100%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-8%
BAA vs RHP
2023
 
 
-13%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2023vs Left .230 252 52 25 51 5 1 3
Since 2023vs Right .239 304 91 24 65 16 0 3
2025vs Left .000 3 1 1 0 0 0 0
2025vs Right .313 20 3 3 5 0 0 0
2024vs Left .258 135 25 12 31 3 0 2
2024vs Right .238 136 43 10 29 9 0 2
2023vs Left .200 114 26 12 20 2 1 1
2023vs Right .231 148 45 11 31 7 0 1
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2023
 
 
-11%
ERA on Road
2025
 
 
-100%
ERA at Home
2024
 
 
-9%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-20%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2023Home 3.22 1.21 64.1 3 5 27 10.6 2.4 0.3
Since 2023Away 2.85 1.31 66.1 4 5 27 9.1 4.3 0.5
2025Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025Away 3.86 1.93 4.2 0 1 0 7.7 7.7 0.0
2024Home 3.30 1.10 30.0 1 2 15 10.5 2.1 0.6
2024Away 3.00 1.48 33.0 2 3 15 9.0 4.1 0.5
2023Home 3.15 1.31 34.1 2 3 12 10.7 2.6 0.0
2023Away 2.51 1.01 28.2 2 1 12 9.4 4.1 0.6
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Clay Holmes compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
1.00
 
K/9
7.7
 
BB/9
7.7
 
HR/9
0.0
 
Fastball
94.1 mph
 
ERA
3.86
 
WHIP
1.93
 
BABIP
.353
 
GB/FB
10.00
 
Left On Base
66.7%
 
Exit Velocity
0.0 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
0.0%
 
Spin Rate
0 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
0.0%
 
Swinging Strike
7.9%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
Yankees manager Aaron Boone clued us in prior to the 2023 season that Holmes would be used in high-leverage spots before the ninth inning. That's exactly how he was deployed in the first-half, often having his number called during the 7th and 8th innings. However, 26 of his 28 outings after the All-Star break came in the 9th inning or later. He finished with a career-high 24 of the Yankees' 44 saves for a 54.5% team save share, which was an improvement over 2022. Holmes also posted a career-best 27.1% strikeout rate to go along with an elite 2.4% barrel rate (99th percentile) and 66.7% groundball percentage (100th percentile). The right-hander threw fewer sinkers (69.2% pitch usage) in favor of more breaking pitches, with his slider and sweeper both generating 40-plus percent whiff rates. With Boone returning as manager in 2024, expect similar usage for Holmes, who has established himself as a high-leverage mainstay for New York.
Holmes ditched his curveball that wasn't effective in 2021 and relied solely on his 97 mph sinker (80% pitch usage) and slider (20%) last season. This led to phenomenal results, as the right-hander had a dominant first half for the Yankees and quickly took over as closer in the Bronx before being named to his first All Star team. Holmes had a 29-game scoreless streak early in the season and led qualified relievers with a ridiculous 75.8% groundball rate. On the flip side, he hit a rough patch a few weeks after the All Star Game and subsequently went on the IL with a back injury. He was not as sharp upon his return, which forced Aaron Boone to shift to a closer committee a few weeks before the playoffs. Holmes also dealt with a shoulder strain at the end of the season. Weighing the upside he showed in the first half of 2022 against his far worse second half makes Holmes a wild card for 2023 drafts, especially with Yankees bullpen roles currently in flux.
Holmes entered the 2021 season in jeopardy of washing entirely out of the league. However, he turned in a strong campaign, throwing particularly well after being dealt to New York where he posted a 1.61 ERA and logged five holds across 25 appearances and 28 innings to close the season. It was a season full of bests, as he generated career marks in both groundball rate (68.7 GB%) and strikeouts (26.7%) with his ERA (3.60) also unsurprisingly following suit. There should be some optimism that Holmes will be able to replicate his success in 2022 because a change in pitch mix seemed to dictate his change of fortune. He jumped his sinker usage from 32 percent to 58.9 percent and also introduced a slider as a primary part of his arsenal - an offering that limited opposing hitters to a .201 wOBA. There's a lengthy list of closer candidates ahead of Holmes in New York, so strong ratios and punchouts will be Holmes' primary path to fantasy value.
More Fantasy News
Fans eight in final spring start
PNew York Mets
March 22, 2025
Holmes allowed two hits and three walks over 5.1 scoreless innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals. He struck out eight.
ANALYSIS
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Garners Opening Day start
PNew York Mets
March 14, 2025
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday that Holmes will start Opening Day in Houston, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
ANALYSIS
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Dominant against Nats
PNew York Mets
March 10, 2025
Holmes struck out eight over 3.2 scoreless innings in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals. He gave up one hit and walked three.
ANALYSIS
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Sharp in Grapefruit League opener
PNew York Mets
February 23, 2025
Holmes struck out three over three perfect innings during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
ANALYSIS
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Will start spring opener
PNew York Mets
February 21, 2025
Holmes will be on the mound for the Mets' Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Astros, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Nearing free-agent decision
PFree Agent
December 6, 2024
Holmes is expected to pick a team soon, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
Stark notes that it is not yet clear whether Holmes will sign as a reliever or starter. He has pitched out of the bullpen exclusively since the start of the 2019 season, but there are multiple clubs this winter considering him as a rotation option. Holmes put up a 3.14 ERA and 68:22 K:BB over 63 regular-season innings with the Yankees in 2024.
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