FLUSHING, N.Y. – The New York Mets have announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes to a three-year major league contract, with a player opt-out clause after the 2026 season.
“We’re excited to bring Clay into the organization and collaborate on his transition to the starting rotation,” stated President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. “Clay has an elite repertoire, knows New York, and will be a key contributor going forward.”
Holmes, 31, boasts a career record of 24-22 with 74 saves and a 3.71 ERA (139 earned runs over 337.1 innings pitched). He has recorded 153 walks and 360 strikeouts across 311 major league games, including four starts, during his time with the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Last season, Holmes was named an All-Star for the second time in his career. He finished with a career-high 30 saves, ranking eighth in the majors, along with a 3-5 record and a 3.14 ERA (22 earned runs over 63.0 innings pitched). He also tallied 22 walks and 68 strikeouts with the Yankees.
Holmes achieved a 65.0% ground ball rate last season, which was the second-highest in the majors among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched. He was one of only four pitchers in the majors to have a ground ball percentage of 60% or more and a strikeout percentage of 25% or more last season. Over the past three years, his ground ball percentage has been an impressive 68.6%, the best in the majors.
In 2022, Holmes was an All-Star for the first time. He appeared in 62 games with the Yankees, finishing with a 7-4 record, a 2.54 ERA (18 earned runs over 63.2 innings pitched), 20 saves, 20 walks, and 65 strikeouts.
Holmes has started four games in the majors and has made 114 starts in the minor leagues. Across 134 minor league games, he has a record of 42-29 with a 3.63 ERA (236 earned runs over 584.1 innings pitched), 285 walks, and 474 strikeouts.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound pitcher was originally selected in the ninth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Slocomb High School in Alabama.
