New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes faced a challenging start to his spring training on Monday in Dunedin, Florida, as he adjusted to cool 53-degree temperatures and strong 25-mph winds during a Grapefruit League outing. Despite these conditions, Holmes benefitted from an accelerated preparation for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which helped him maintain sharpness on the mound.
Early Clash Highlights Holmes’ Grapefruit League Appearance
Holmes encountered a noteworthy moment in the second inning against Kazuma Okamoto, the newly signed Blue Jays third baseman and former Japanese star. Throwing a curveball to Okamoto, Holmes watched as the batter responded with a powerful 431-foot home run off the centerfield batter’s eye. Okamoto, who is set to start on Opening Day for the American League champions, will join Team Japan in their bid for a consecutive World Baseball Classic championship.
Maybe he’ll go back and tell his Japanese teammates that I throw a big curveball to righthanded batters now,
Holmes said, smiling. We’ll see.
Potential Rematch Against Japan in World Baseball Classic
With many anticipating a rematch between the U.S. and Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic, Holmes could face Okamoto again under much higher stakes. The two teams previously met in the 2023 title game, with Japan securing a narrow 3-2 victory. Holmes expects to be in full midseason form by the time the tournament arrives, signaling a potentially different outcome from the breezy Monday contest.
Andy Pettitte’s Influence on Holmes’ Role with Team USA
Holmes’ inclusion on Team USA’s pitching roster traces back to his connection with Andy Pettitte, the former Yankees pitching great who has returned this year as Team USA’s pitching coach. Pettitte recruited Holmes shortly after his move to the Mets’ starting rotation, and the pitcher eagerly accepted the opportunity to join the national team.
I think the world of Andy,
Holmes said after the Mets’ 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays.
He’s an amazing human being. Obviously, what he’s done in the game is incredible. Just to have somebody like him believe in me and be in my corner and want me to be a part of the team was special. It definitely meant something to me.
Preparing for a Demanding Spring with Increased Workload
The World Baseball Classic schedule requires pitchers to arrive earlier and ramp up throwing sooner than usual, intensifying the spring workload before the regular six-month MLB season begins. Many top pitchers avoid the WBC due to the risk this poses, but Holmes does not view this as a setback despite delivering 165 2/3 innings last year—a significant increase from his relief innings the previous season and second only to David Peterson among Mets starters.
Holmes feels physically sound and approached this spring training similarly to last year, when he recorded a 12-8 record with a 3.53 ERA over 31 starts and two relief outings.
I feel the same right now as I did coming into camp last year, which has been encouraging,
Holmes remarked.
Adjusting Approach After Midseason Performance Challenges
Despite a strong start to last season, posting a 2.99 ERA over his first 17 starts, Holmes experienced a middle-season decline. He attributes this to a mix of fatigue from accumulating innings and inconsistencies in delivery, particularly in maintaining aggressive pitches against left-handed hitters.
Maybe I felt some of the innings add up. Maybe my delivery wasn’t quite the same. With all those things, I think it boils down to I’ve got to find a way to stay in the zone and attack hitters, especially the lefties. I think that’s what hurt me some of those times.
Holmes views these experiences as valuable lessons and is focusing on improving command over his cutter, which he developed later last season to keep hitters off balance and efficiently control at-bats.
Recent Performance Demonstrates Readiness for Team USA
During Monday’s outing, Holmes relied on his sinker to induce ground balls and combined three strikeouts using a sweeper and changeup over 3⅔ innings. Notably, the final strikeout came on a two-strike changeup to Addison Barger that was initially called a ball, but was overturned by Allen Baseball System (ABS) replay evidence confirming the pitch clipped the strike zone.
I thought half the ball was in the zone,
catcher Hayden Senger said.
Senger confirmed confidence in Holmes’ readiness for the WBC and noted Holmes will have one more start in Mets camp before joining Team USA in Arizona. Holmes’ exact role with Team USA—whether as a starter or in a reliever/piggyback capacity—remains unclear.
Looking Ahead to World Baseball Classic and Regular Season Impact
Holmes’ early-season performance, even in less-than-ideal conditions, signals positive momentum towards both the World Baseball Classic and the Mets’ regular season. His ongoing adjustments, combined with support from Andy Pettitte and a developing pitching arsenal, position him as a key figure for the Mets’ rotation and Team USA’s pitching staff in the high-stakes tournament.
