Mets get promising sign with Clay Holmes' debut at World Baseball Classic | amNewYork

"He went three scoreless innings on just 38 pitches, allowing just one hit with six strikeouts in the United States' 9-1 victory. Five of those punchouts came in succession across the fourth and fifth innings. Then, in the sixth inning, he dropped a sweeper to get Yankees star second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. whiffing for his final strikeout of the night."

"That sweeper looked especially dominant throughout his outing, and it appears to be even nastier than it was last season. Out of his 38 pitches against Great Britain, Holmes threw the pitch 12 times (31.5%). While it was his second-most used pitch last year, too, he only threw it 19% of the time. On Saturday night, the sweeper averaged 18.1 inches of horizontal break a significant uptick from last year, when it averaged 16.8 inches."

"The Mets undoubtedly had to like what they were seeing from the 32-year-old, who abandoned a closing role with the Yankees to join the starting rotation across town. He was one of their most consistent starters, even during the epic collapse that resulted in a postseason miss, going 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA."

Clay Holmes pitched three scoreless innings for Team USA against Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic, allowing one hit with six strikeouts on 38 pitches in a 9-1 victory. The 32-year-old right-hander, in his second season with the Mets after transitioning from closer to starter, demonstrated significant improvement in his sweeper pitch. He threw the sweeper 12 times (31.5% of pitches), compared to 19% usage last season, with increased horizontal break averaging 18.1 inches versus 16.8 inches previously. Five consecutive strikeouts across the fourth and fifth innings highlighted his dominance, with the sweeper proving especially effective. Holmes went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA last season despite the Mets' postseason miss, establishing himself as a consistent rotation member.

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