Clay Holmes’ Unexpected Career Pivot: From All-Star Closer to Promising Starter

Clay Holmes, a name synonymous with late-inning dominance and All-Star caliber relief pitching, found himself at a career crossroads this past offseason. After eight seasons and 307 appearances primarily in the bullpen, the two-time All-Star received an unexpected wave of interest from teams envisioning him in a completely different role: a starting pitcher.

The notion was initially startling for Holmes, a reliever through and through who had never surpassed 70 innings pitched in a single season. He processed the idea, moving through phases of surprise, disbelief, and eventually, genuine intrigue. The opportunity presented itself as a unique challenge, a chance to redefine his career and potentially etch his name alongside baseball legends.

Several teams expressed interest in converting him to a starter, while others offered lucrative deals to continue his role as a closer or late-inning reliever, including contracts guaranteeing him upwards of $40 million. Holmes, entering free agency for the first time, faced a pivotal decision that went beyond simply choosing a team. He had to decide the very trajectory of his career.

He could opt for the financial security and familiarity of closing, leveraging his established reputation for a hefty payday. Or, he could embrace the unknown, accepting a slightly lower salary to pursue a starting role, a path he hadn’t considered since his rookie season in 2018.

Ultimately, the 32-year-old Holmes chose to bet on himself. He signed a three-year, $38 million contract with the New York Mets, drawn to their vision and confident in his ability to succeed in a new capacity. His ambition stretches beyond merely becoming a competent starter. He aims to join an exclusive club, emulating Hall of Famer John Smoltz, as the only active player to earn All-Star recognition as both a reliever and a starting pitcher.

Holmes’ journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Seven starts into the season, he’s already injected himself into the All-Star conversation, boasting a 4-1 record and a 2.95 ERA. More than just a surprise story, he’s become an indispensable asset for the Mets, particularly with veteran starters Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea facing injuries.

"I definitely went into the offseason not expecting to be a starter," Holmes said in an interview. "It wasn’t like the World Series ended and I went out seeking to be a starter. It was nothing I thought about."

However, the landscape quickly changed. "Then a couple of weeks later, my agent came to me and said there’s a couple of teams that are throwing out the idea, and were gauging my interest. I started thinking about it, and said, ‘Hey, why not? Let’s see what’s out there.’"

While the Mets weren’t the first team to explore the possibility of Holmes as a starter, according to his agent, B.B. Abbott, they were the most convincing. Their analytical data and strategic plan demonstrated a clear path to success. Holmes also benefited from familiarity with Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel, both former coaches from his time with the Yankees. Furthermore, the allure of playing in New York, a city he had come to embrace, was a significant factor.

"They did a good job laying it all out for him," Abbott explained. "They saw his pitches. They had the analytic guys talk to him. Ultimately, it came down to the familiarity of the staff, the way they were going to utilize him, the comfort of New York, and being on a winning team."

Interestingly, the Yankees, who played a crucial role in developing Holmes into an elite closer, never entertained the idea of converting him to a starter. Their discussions with him during the offseason centered solely on a potential return as a reliever.

Holmes himself admits the idea had been casually mentioned during his time in the Yankees bullpen. "I mean, there were jokes about it last year," he said, "but that was it. I started throwing a change-up in bullpen sessions, and before you knew it, I was throwing five [different] pitches down there. There would be jokes about it, like man, you should be starting with all of these pitches, but it was nothing more than a joke."

But the jokes turned into a serious consideration when the offseason arrived. "But when the idea came up in the offseason, it really got my the wheel turning, like, I know I can do this. I can expand my arsenal."

Abbott recognized Holmes’ genuine interest in the proposition, even though it meant potentially sacrificing some financial gain. The intellectual challenge and the desire to prove himself in a new role ultimately outweighed the allure of a larger contract.

"Clay has always been very analytical, very intelligent, and he grasps the analytic side of pitching," Abbott noted. "He always talked about stuff he was working on. So, it didn’t surprise me, honestly. What surprised me was how many teams were along for the ride. Some teams weren’t even interested in signing him but were asking questions, ‘Hey, did you ever think about starting?’"

"Well, he had some curiosities in the back of his mind, but it sure wasn’t anything we discussed. He’s just a guy who loves to be intellectually and physically challenged. The Mets ultimately proposed that challenge, and Holmes was ready to embrace it, intrigued by Mets president David Stearns and the coaching staff’s plans for him."

"I felt like there was a real sense of desire from the Mets," Holmes said. "Stearns asked me a lot of questions, and there was a real belief that I could not only be just a starter, but a really good starting pitcher. I think that goes a long way, and obviously just a desire to win and what theyre trying to build here with the Mets."

"They really just drew me in, and it felt right."

Despite the Mets’ confidence in Holmes’ potential, the move was still viewed as a gamble for a team aiming for a World Series title.

"I remember when we first signed him," Mets reliever Ryne Stanek said, "and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s a good deal. He’s going to really help our bullpen.’ But then when I heard he was going into the rotation, I sure didn’t see that coming."

Juan Soto, the Mets’ All-Star right fielder who previously played with Holmes on the Yankees, shared a similar sentiment. "I never thought about him being a starter. Never. I mean, I knew he worked hard every day, but to go from throwing one inning to being a starter, that’s tough. What he’s doing now is so impressive."

Holmes has already logged 36 ⅔ innings, closing in on his total from the previous season, but insists he feels good.

Manager Mendoza highlighted the key question surrounding Holmes’ transition: "My biggest question making that transition was what his third and fourth pitches would be, because in my years with the Yankees, it was sinker/slider. He was very tough on righties, so I knew as a starter, teams were going to load up with the lefties."

The answer has been the development and effective utilization of his changeup. Druschel said: "All of his pitches are above average, but that changeup has been devastating."

Holmes, who hadn’t used a changeup in a game since 2019, has thrown it nearly 100 times this season. Batters are hitting a paltry .182 against it with only one extra-base hit.

He now boasts a six-pitch mix featuring his sinker, changeup, sweeper, slider, cutter and 4-seam fastball.

"There was really not a need for the changeup before," Druschel said, "but with the transition, we needed more depth in his repertoire to go multiple times through the order. Then, he’s in tune and adept with the analytics and understanding the numbers. You know, I need this for this purpose with lefties or righties or whatnot. I need to fill these gaps,’ and that’s basically what he’s done."

"I was pretty sure that he had the weapons, and I was really confident that he would be able to do this because he’s so smart. He knew he had to train differently to be a starter than a reliever."

The Mets are carefully managing Holmes’ workload, utilizing a six-man rotation and scheduled off days to provide extra rest between starts.

Holmes, who hasn’t exceeded six innings or 92 pitches in a start, can draw inspiration from his former teammate, Michael King, who successfully transitioned from reliever to starter after being traded to the San Diego Padres.

"I mean you can look at some of the older guys," Holmes said. "They would go from being a reliever to a starter, and go from 65 innings to 200 innings, four years in a row, and have no problems. So, we’ll see. If we need to recalibrate, we can. For now…"

One of the biggest adjustments for Holmes has been the change in routine. He misses the adrenaline rush of potentially pitching every game.

The success of Holmes’ transition could pave the way for other teams to experiment with converting their relievers into starters.

"There’s a lot of relievers in the big leagues who were starters at some point," Holmes said, "so there might be some desire there. I think as the game grows, and the ability to have the different pitch designs, you might see more guys doing it now. Teams are looking for value, and if they see guys in the pen that they might be able to move into the starting rotation, they’re going to be open to doing that."

"Well see where it all goes."

"But I can definitely see a trend happening, and it feels good to be a part of it."