New York Mets starter Clay Holmes must fix this glaring stat

As the New York Mets start a three-game series tonight against the Baltimore Orioles, they will have their first-year starter, Clay Holmes, on the mound for them.

After signing a three-year, $38 million deal with an opt-out after the 2026 season, the former reliever has had a nice season as a full-time starter. However, despite an 8-4 record and 2.99 ERA in his 17 starts thus far, Holmes' last three starts have not been as sharp due to this emerging weakness, which must change tonight in his start against Baltimore.

That glaring issue for the 32-year-old has been his high walk rate.

Over his last three starts, Holmes has walked an alarming 14 batters in just 14.3 innings of work. That high walk rate has resulted in Holmes not having thrown a pitch in the sixth inning since June 7 against the Colorado Rockies, taxing an already beleaguered Mets' bullpen. On the season, the righty hurler has walked a career-high 39 batters, albeit in a career-high 93.1 innings.

One of those starts for Holmes saw him walk a career-high six batters on 104 pitches against the Atlanta Braves on June 19; he lasted just 4.2 innings as a result of the free passes. After that game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked by reporters if he was worried about Holmes' workload.