Battered Mets facing another injury to pitching staff

The New York Mets rotation may have taken another hit on Friday.

Starter Clay Holmes left the Mets 4-0 loss to the A's after 5.1 innings and the Mets trailing 1-0. Tim Britton of The Athletic reported that Holmes was removed from the game due to left hamstring tightness. He had allowed one run on five hits and three walks, striking out three batters. At this point, there has been no word as to the severity of his injury.

A converted reliever, Holmes had been off to a strong start to the season before leaving Friday's game. He had 1.42 ERA and a 0.947 WHIP over his 12.2 innings entering his outing, striking out nine batters with five walks.

Long-term injury could pay dividends for New York Mets

In the short term, losing Holmes for any length of time would be a blow to a battered Mets roster. Starter Tylor Megill has been lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery, while the bullpen is missing several key pieces. 

However, the Mets could benefit next year if Holmes has a prolonged stay on the injured list. He had signed a three-year, $38 million contract during the 2024-25 offseason, with the option to opt-out of his $12 million salary for the 2027 season. Pitchers such as Nick Martinez and Adrian Houser were able to receive comparable deals in free agency, with Holmes potentially able to get another multiyear contract if he continued his strong start to the season. If Holmes requires a prolonged stay on the IL, he may find that staying with the Mets next year is his best option.