Clay Holmes has emerged as a notable name in the latest wave of MLB trade rumors as the deadline approaches, with several contending clubs showing interest in the New York Mets right-hander.
According to reporting from The Athletic, scouts from seven teams, including the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, were on hand to evaluate Holmes during his recent rehab outing.
Holmes has been sidelined since mid-May with a fractured right fibula. On Tuesday night in Dunedin, Florida, while pitching for Single-A St. Lucie, he delivered four scoreless innings on 59 pitches.
Two executives who observed the appearance described him as looking big-league ready. His next scheduled start falls on Aug. 2, just one day before the trade deadline, leaving open the possibility that he could pitch for a new team shortly thereafter.
The veteran’s performance this season before the injury only strengthened his appeal. In nine major league starts, Holmes went 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 45 strikeouts across 52.2 innings.
That success builds on a solid transition to starting after years spent primarily in the bullpen. He signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Mets ahead of the 2025 season that included a $12 million player option for 2027. In his first year as a full-time starter with New York, he posted a 12-8 record and 3.53 ERA over 165.2 innings, recording 129 strikeouts.
Before joining the Mets, Holmes spent significant time with the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees from 2018 through 2024. He enjoyed a breakout stretch as a reliever with the Yankees in 2021, when he posted a 1.61 ERA in 25 appearances. From 2022 to 2024 he served as the club’s closer, earning All-Star selections in both 2022 and 2024.
The Mets, currently sitting in last place with a 46-62 record, are widely expected to act as sellers. Earlier this month they indicated to other clubs that nearly the entire roster is available, with only a handful of young players and Juan Soto considered unavailable.
Against that backdrop, interest in Holmes from clubs such as the Yankees, Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, and Arizona Diamondbacks is understandable.
Contending teams looking to bolster their rotations or add depth for a playoff push see a pitcher who has already shown he can handle a starting role and who appears close to returning to full strength.
Whether Holmes ultimately changes teams before the deadline remains to be seen, but the combination of his recent form, track record, and the Mets’ position in the standings has placed him firmly on the radar of several clubs aiming to strengthen their pitching staffs for the stretch run.
New York has until next Monday to make a move.
