Clay Holmes and Mets finalize $38M, 3-year contract, with plans to convert him into a starter

DALLAS (AP) — Clay Holmes and the New York Mets finalized a $38 million, three-year contract on Monday, with plans to convert the All-Star reliever into a starting pitcher.

Holmes gets a $13 million salary in each of the first two seasons of the deal. He has a $12 million player option for 2027 with no buyout.

“We’re excited to bring Clay into the organization and collaborate on his transition to the starting rotation,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a press release. “Clay has an elite repertoire, knows New York, and will be a key contributor going forward.”

Holmes has made four big league starts — all with Pittsburgh when he broke into the majors in 2018. He made 114 starts in the minors.

Holmes developed into a dominant closer with the New York Yankees after he was acquired from the Pirates in July 2021, becoming a two-time All-Star. But he struggled this year with control and allowing hits on soft contact. Holmes lost his closer’s job to Luke Weaver after allowing a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on Sept. 3.

The right-hander was 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA and a career-high 30 saves in 67 appearances, leading the majors with 13 blown saves. Rediscovering his sinker, he became an effective setup man for the AL champion Yankees in the postseason, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 13 games.

Holmes’ sinker averaged 96.6 mph this season and he threw it 56% of the time, along with 23% sliders and 21% sweepers. His 65% groundball rate was second to Tim Hill (68.2%) last season among pitchers with 50 or more innings, and his 68.6% groundball rate over the past three years was the best in the majors.

Holmes, who turns 32 in March, had 74 saves in 95 chances with the Yankees over the last three years. He is 24-22 with a 3.71 ERA in seven big league seasons.

After reaching the NL Championship Series and losing to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets added right-hander Frankie Montas with a $34 million, two-year contract.

Right-hander Luis Severino, who led the Mets in innings with 182, left as a free agent for a $67 million, three-year deal with the Athletics that includes a $10 million signing bonus and salaries of $15 million next year and $20 million in 2026. Severino has a $22 million player option for 2027.

Left-handers Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana, key components of this year's rotation, remain on the free agent market.

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