RADIO
Clay Holmes has Been Rolling in Second Season With Mets
New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, who was a former reliever with the crosstown-rival New York Yankees, has been outstanding through eight starts in his second season in Queens in 2026. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star heads into his next scheduled start on Friday against the Yankees with a 4-3 record, 1.86 ERA (3.44 FIP), and 1.01 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 16 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched. Holmes hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his outings this year. In his first year in the big leagues as a full-time starter for the Mets in 2025, Holmes finished with a 12-8 record, 3.53 ERA (4.11 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, and 129:66 K:BB across 165 2/3 frames and 33 outings (31 starts). Under the hood, Holmes has been a bit fortunate to be pitching so well so far in 2026, which makes him an obvious sell-high candidate. His xwOBA sits at .308 (currently .248), and his expected ERA is almost two runs higher at 3.75. Additionally, Holmes' strikeout rate last year was well below-average at 18.2%, and it's not much better this year at 19.3%. Regression could come quickly, possibly on Friday night against his former team.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
