Mets' Clay Holmes seems puzzled by controversial offseason decisions

On paper, the New York Mets' roster is worse ahead of Christmas than it was on the final day of the 2025 regular season after Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns took a sledgehammer to the squad.

While speaking at a holiday event held at Citi Field on Thursday, Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes spoke about the fact that closer Edwin Diaz, first baseman Pete Alonso and outfielder Brandon Nimmo all have new MLB homes. 

Edwin Diaz, Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo were all great clubhouse guys?

"They’re great players," Holmes said about his now-former teammates, per Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News. "They’ve been great Mets for a long time and really connected with the fanbase. As players, even in the clubhouse, they’re great people, so it’s always tough to see those guys go, and we wish them the best. But at the same time, it’s like, those aren’t easy decisions. I’m sure." 

Mets fans were first stunned when the club traded Nimmo, a homegrown talent, to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien in November. Stearns then didn't do enough to keep Diaz from signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the executive seemed to have no real interest in locking Alonso down via a long-term deal before the "Polar Bear" joined the Baltimore Orioles. 

"I don’t really know all the details behind the scenes, but to make those big decisions, I’m sure there’s got to be some type of, some growth to be had, and sometimes that can be a little uncomfortable," Holmes continued. 

Over the past month, multiple stories have touched upon the alleged clubhouse issues that negatively impacted the Mets throughout their collapse this past summer. Fair or not, outsiders have been left assuming that Stearns determined the core of a team that completed a trip to the 2024 National League Championship Series needed to be dismantled for the overall good of the franchise. 

Like fans, Holmes seemed to have no real answer regarding Stearns' thinking. 

Clay Holmes still has "a lot of trust" in David Stearns, Mets owner Steve Cohen

"I guess you just have to trust kind of the direction they’re wanting to go," Holmes added. "I know they wouldn’t just be doing those things for no reason, so there’s a lot of trust and kind of the plan moving forward and kind of what they have in store." 

The good news for frustrated Mets fans is that Stearns has plenty of time to finalize the roster before spring training games get underway. As of the Friday before Christmas, however, one couldn't blame those supporters for openly asking what it is Stearns is trying to achieve.