The New York Mets already have half their lineup on IL due to injuries, and last night they lost starter Clay Holmes.
The New York Mets season has been full of tough injuries, and last night they lost Clay Holmes on a comebacker during their 5-2 loss against the New York Yankees.
The injury occurred in the fourth inning, as Spencer Jones hit a comebacker that had an exit velocity of 111.2 mph, according to an ESPN report from Jorge Castillo. Manager Carlos Mendoza left no doubt about Holmes’ prognosis.
"He's going to be down a long time," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Holmes managed to stay in the game despite the severity of the injury. Mendoza and catcher Luis Torrens checked on Holmes along with a trainer after the low line drive struck him on the right leg, but the right-hander didn’t show any obvious signs of discomfort.
The right-hander was able to get Aaron Judge to fly out to escape a bases-loaded jam, and Holmes faced two Yankee hitters in the ninth as he struck out Cody Bellinger and walked Jazz Chisolm Jr. His pitch count was up to 95 at that point, though, and Holmes was removed from the game.
It’s another big loss for the Mets. His ERA rose to 2.39 due to the four runs he gave up in 4-2/3 innings, but according to Castillo only 14 qualified starters have a lower ERA.
"It's a huge blow," Mendoza said. "Being one of the most consistent guys that we had in that rotation. It's a big blow."
This was the first time Holmes faced his former team since he signed a three-year deal to become a starter. He proved to be durable in the role, pitching a career-high 165-2/3 innings and staying healthy while posting a 3.53 ERA.
Holmes started this season on a roll, posting eight straight starts with two runs or fewer before last night. He attributed his success to adjustments in his routine and increased comfort with the preparation process, and Juan Soto was one of many teammates who lamented the loss.
"It's tough, man. It's tough," Mets left fielder Juan Soto said. "Clay is a guy who shows up every day. He's one of the hardest workers I've ever seen in my career. He's working every time, every moment. If you take your eyes off, he's going to be working. It's unbelievable what [he's done].
"But it's really sad, what happened to him. But it's part of the game. We're going to support him. We're going to be right there for him in any kind of way that he needs us. But it just sucks."
The Mets currently have starter Sean Manaea toiling in the bullpen, but the injury could also hasten the promotion of either Jonah Tong or Jack Wenninger, with both currently excelling at Triple-A Syracuse.