Clay Holmes will get to experience one of the top honors bestowed upon a starting pitcher in his first year with the role.
The New York Mets’ new starter, who spent the first seven seasons of his career as a reliever, including the last four as a closer with the crosstown-rival Yankees, will be given the ball to start Opening Day in Houston on March 27.
“I’m definitely honored. It’s been a crazy few months, but I think it’s just a testament to the work I put in but also the people I’ve been around here in the organization,” Holmes said. “There’s been a plan from the get-go. I’ve believed in it, they’ve believed in me. There’s been a lot of work these past few months, and this is just a step.”
The 31-year-old right-hander signed a three-year, $38 million to join the Mets’ starting rotation — a move he admitted that he “had a passion for.”
“I didn’t want to look back at the end of my career and say, ‘Man, what could’ve come from that?’” Holmes said during his introductory press conference in December. “It’s something deep down I had a passion for, and it excited me.”
He proceeded to show up early for spring training and was ahead of schedule in the program that stretched his workload from that of a reliever to a starter. An enhancement of his arsenal was also necessary, as a two-pitch bullpen arm has developed into a pitcher that utilized six pitches in his previous spring training start.
The results have been more than promising, they have been downright impressive. In three spring starts (9.2 innings), Holmes has not given up a run, allowed just two hits, and struck out 13 compared to four walks.
“He earned it. We like what we’re seeing,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I know it’s a small sample size here, but it’s very encouraging. He really put himself in a good position, showed up early in camp. He was ahead of everyone. But again, it’s more about the way he’s looked so far making that transition and we’re comfortable with him being out there for Opening Day.”
