Clay Holmes (32, New York Mets), who was the trade counterpart of Korean outfielder Park Hyo-jun (29), part of the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators under the Athletics, pitched well throughout spring training, completing his preparation for the opening day start.

On the 22nd (Korea time), Holmes made a start in a spring training game against the 2025 Major League St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida, pitching 5⅓ innings, allowing 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8 without giving up any runs, laying the groundwork for the Mets' 3-2 victory.

With a total of 88 pitches, he reached a maximum velocity of 96.2 mph (154.8 km/h), averaging 94.2 mph (151.6 km/h) with his sinker (30 pitches) and also throwing sliders, changeups (14 pitches each), cutters (11 pitches), and four-seam fastballs (1 pitch). Against both left and right-handed batters, the St. Louis hitters kept swinging and missing at Holmes' dancing breaking balls, particularly the newly acquired changeup, which has already shown its power as a decisive pitch.

As of that day, Holmes had made 5 appearances in spring training, ending with a record of 1 win, 1 loss, and an earned run average (ERA) of 0.93. He pitched 19⅓ innings, allowing 7 hits and 8 walks while striking out 23 Samjin, only giving up 2 runs. He posted a WHIP of 0.78 and a batting average against of .190, showcasing overwhelming pitching.

Finishing his last spring training appearance on a good note, Holmes will rest for 5 days and then start in the season opener against the Houston Astros on the 28th. The Mets have shown strong trust in him, as he was early on chosen as the opening day starter.

In an interview with local media, including 'SNY', Holmes noted, "The opening day is a special day, and I am excited to be the starting pitcher. It is really special to stand on the field with competitive players here wearing a Mets uniform. The Mets have the best players, and we will seize the opportunity to become the top team from day one."

Holmes' opening day start is quite a surprising decision considering that most of his career has been as a bullpen pitcher. Holmes made only 4 starts in his debut year with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018, and has pitched exclusively in the bullpen for 6 years through last year. During his time with the Pirates, he was an ordinary bullpen pitcher, and in July 2021, he was traded to the Yankees due to the opposing measures of infielder Park Hyo-jun and Diego Castillo.

While Park Hyo-jun's Major League career ended after the 2022 season with the Pirates, Holmes made a remarkable turnaround in his career. After moving to the Yankees, he stabilized his pitching and developed his signature sinker, establishing himself as a closer starting in 2022. Holmes, who showcased his power with a sinker that reaches a maximum speed of 102 mph (164.2 km/h) and sliders, was selected as an All-Star twice in 2022 and last year. Over 4 years with the Yankees, he made 220 appearances (217⅔ innings) with a record of 19 wins, 15 losses, 74 saves, 19 holds, an ERA of 2.69, and a total of 238 strikeouts.

However, last year, he had a staggering 13 blown saves, exposing some insecurity in critical moments, resulting in him losing his closing position near the end of the season. After becoming a free agent (FA) at the end of the season, Holmes signed a 3-year, $38 million FA contract with the Mets. Although it wasn't a huge contract, it was a decent contract with a 3-year term, and the Mets acquired Holmes not as a closer but as a starter.

In recent years, there have been many successful cases of pitchers who transitioned from relief roles to starting roles, such as Seth Lugo (Kansas City Royals), Michael King (San Diego Padres), Garrett Crochet (Boston Red Sox), Jack Littel (Tampa Bay Rays), Reynaldo Lopez (Atlanta Braves), and Jordan Hicks (San Francisco Giants), which raises expectations for Holmes' transformation.

The Mets' preparations for the opening were delayed due to last year's ace Sean Manaea deciding on a spring training game due to a right oblique injury last month, and the 2023 ace Senga Gōda made only one appearance last year, struggling with shoulder, tricep, and calf injuries. Ultimately, Holmes, who had a smooth build-up process up until spring training, has been chosen as the opening day starter.

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