The New York Mets will be without Clay Holmes for "a long time," in the words of manager Carlos Mendoza, after the right-handed starter suffered a fractured fibula during their 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday.
Injury Details
Holmes sustained the injury in the fourth inning when he was struck on the lower leg by a 111.1 mph comebacker off the bat of rookie Spencer Jones.
Holmes remained in the game but departed in the fifth after allowing four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Impact on the Mets
As Mendoza's remarks suggest, Holmes' absence figures to be measured in weeks and perhaps months, which makes this a grave blow to the Mets' already fading hopes for 2026.
Holmes in his age-33 season has pitched to a 2.39 ERA in nine starts and 52 2/3 innings. Coming into Friday night's start, Holmes' 1.9 WAR for the season led the team by a wide margin.
The Friday loss ended the Mets' three-game winning streak and dropped them to 18-26 on the season. They remain in last place in the National League East.
Injured List Situation
Once Holmes is placed on the injured list, he'll join fellow Mets starters:
- Kodai Senga (spine inflammation)
- Tylor Megill (Tommy John surgery in September 2025)
- Justin Hagenman (rib fracture)
To take Holmes' turns, the Mets could turn to Sean Manaea, who's filling a long relief role presently, but he's struggled this season. Prospect Jonah Tong, who made five starts for the Mets last season, is another possibility, but he's fared poorly at Triple-A Syracuse in 2026.