Clay Holmes Has Fractured Fibula, Will Be Out "For A Long Time"

"Holmes sustained the injury in the top of the 4th inning. Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones hit a liner that deflected off Holmes' right leg and resulted in an infield single ( video courtesy of MLB.com). Holmes was visited by trainers after the play but remained in the game, eventually departing after 4 1/3 innings. He underwent X-rays after the game, which revealed the fracture."

"Manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and others that Holmes will "be down for a long time." He has not been placed on the injured list yet, though a move is inevitable given Mendoza's comments."

"The impending loss of Holmes is a massive blow to the Mets, who are already struggling en route to one of the worst records in baseball at 18-26. Holmes is arguably the Mets' most important starting pitcher this side of Nolan McLean. Including tonight's game, in which he allowed four earned runs, Holmes has an excellent 2.39 ERA in 52 2/3 innings this year. Although his strikeout rate is slightly below average, Holmes excels by keeping the ball on the ground. His 56.0% groundball rate puts him in the Top 10 of qualified starters and is on par with last year's 55.8% figure."

"As a whole, the Mets' rotation has been middle-of-the-pack in 2026. The group's 3.93 ERA entering play today ranked 11th in the Majors, while their 14.7% strikeout to walk differential ranked 10th. Meanwhile, the group's 3.67 expected ERA ranks fifth in the league and suggests the Mets' starters have been slightly unlucky in that performance. The rotation has also had to weather poor injury luck, as Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) has been down for two weeks and Justin Hagenman (rib fracture) has been on the inju"

Clay Holmes suffered a fractured right fibula during the top of the fourth inning in a 5-2 loss to the Yankees. A liner from Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones deflected off Holmes’ right leg, leading to an infield single. Holmes stayed in the game after trainers visited him, but he left after 4 1/3 innings. X-rays after the game confirmed the fracture. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Holmes will be down for a long time, and an injured list placement is expected. The injury is a significant setback because Holmes has a 2.39 ERA over 52 2/3 innings and a 56.0% groundball rate, ranking among the league’s top qualified starters. The Mets’ rotation has been middle-of-the-pack, with a 3.93 ERA and strong expected ERA, but injuries have already affected it.

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