Yankees' Clay Holmes: Expected to close most games
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated over the weekend that Holmes may sometimes be used outside of save situations during the regular season, Andy Martino of SNY.tv reports. "There are going to be days where if it's [George] Springer, [Bo] Bichette and Vladdy [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.] coming up in the eighth inning in a big spot, that might be Clay," Boone explained.
Boone suggested that he plans to deploy Holmes in the highest leverage situations, which could come earlier than the ninth inning at times and may not always qualify the right-handed hurler for a save. Still, the manager hinted that he would continue to see plenty of chances to close, stating, "I would expect [Holmes] to close a lot of games for us. Probably most games, and hopefully a lot of games. But I do see a number of guys getting saves." Holmes didn't earn any saves in his first four big-league seasons, but he racked up 20 last year after taking over the ninth-inning role in the first half of the campaign. The reliever's stock is boosted by playing for a team projected to be among the best in the league, but Boone's comments and Holmes' late-season fade last year may provide enough risk to keep him outside of the top 10 closers in fantasy drafts.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Reaches one-year deal
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Holmes agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Yankees on Friday, avoiding arbitration.
Holmes broke out in his age-29 season last year, finishing the season with a 2.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP while recording the first 20 saves of his career. He's the clear favorite to lead the Yankees in saves this season, though the fact that his ERA jumped from 1.31 prior to the All-Star break to 4.84 in the second half makes him a higher-risk option than one might expect when looking at only his season-long numbers.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Officially available for Game 1
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Manager Aaron Boone said Holmes (shoulder) is available to close Game 1 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Tuesday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Holmes has been held out of action since the end of September with a strained right shoulder. After his recent throwing sessions went "really well," according to Boone, Holmes is now cleared for postseason action. The 2022 campaign marked a career year for the 29-year-old righty, as he recorded a 2.54 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 63.2 innings during the regular season.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Expects to be on ALDS roster
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Holmes (shoulder) is scheduled to face a few batters Monday and expects to be named to the ALDS roster, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Holmes suffered a right shoulder strain at the end of September and hasn't pitched in a game since Sept. 26, but the reliever is confident his name will be on the roster for the upcoming ALDS against Cleveland, which begins Tuesday. Holmes noted that he was able to throw "free and easy" in his last bullpen session, and also that his velocity looked good, but he's unsure of his availability for Game 1, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. His status figures to depend on how he feels during Monday's session.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Won't be placed on injured list
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Holmes (shoulder) won't be placed on the injured list since he would then be out for the ALDS, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
Holmes has been sidelined with a right shoulder strain and is five days into a planned 10-day shutdown from throwing. However, manager Aaron Boone said Saturday that he hopes Holmes will be able to build back up in time to pitch in the ALDS, which begins Oct. 11.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Out with shoulder strain
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Holmes is out with a right shoulder strain and the Yankees hope to have him ready for the ALDS, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
A recent MRI confirmed the strain and Holmes also had a cortisone shot. Candidates to get the ball in the Yankees' next save opportunity include Scott Effross, Lou Trivino and Aroldis Chapman. It's possible Holmes won't pitch again until 2023.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Nabs win Thursday
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Holmes (7-4) earned the win over Boston on Thursday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over two innings.
Though it wasn't a save situation, Holmes' outing Thursday was a positive step after he allowed a run in four of his previous five appearances. The right-hander preserved a 4-4 tie by keeping Boston off the scoreboard in the ninth inning and worked around the automatic runner in the 10th to again prevent a run. He was credited with the win after the Yankees walked it off in the bottom of the frame. Holmes isn't guaranteed to get all of New York's save chances moving forward with manager Aaron Boone recently indicating he may shift to a committee approach, though Holmes figures to still be in the mix in that scenario.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Gives up game-winning run
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Holmes (6-4) gave up one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out one over 0.2 innings to take the loss in a 7-6 defeat against the Brewers on Friday.
Holmes came into a tie game in the bottom of the ninth and promptly gave up a leadoff double to Hunter Renfroe. The baserunner would eventually come around to score and give the Brewers the walkoff victory on a bases-loaded single by the number nine hitter, Garrett Mitchell. Holmes converted his last three save opportunities coming into the game, but he struggled in this non-save situation. He has an ERA of 4.50 in seven September appearances.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Picks up 20th save
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Holmes picked up the save in Wednesday's 5-3 victory over the Red Sox. He allowed one run on one hit while striking out one over one inning.
Holmes surrendered a double to Abraham Almonte, who later scored on a groundout from Enrique Hernandez. In his last 11 appearances, the righty's 3.86 ERA over 11.2 innings has been higher than he's grown accustomed to this season. The 29-year-old could see a decrease in high-leverage opportunities with the expected return of lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman (leg) on Friday.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Earns extra-inning win
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Holmes (6-3) earned the win in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning victory over Boston. He allowed two runs (one earned) on no hits and no walks while striking out one over 1.1 innings.
Holmes entered the game with the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth and recorded a clean inning to send it to extras, but he ran into trouble in the 10th after the Yankees took a 7-4 lead. He was pulled after hitting a batter and then getting an out in the 10th in favor of Wandy Peralta for a lefty-on-lefty matchup. Peralta allowed a base hit and a wild pitch to score the ghost runner and McGuire to make it a 7-6 game. Peralta worked out of it, however, and it all earned Holmes his sixth win of the season. Holmes has been shaky of late, as he has allowed 11 runs (nine earned) in 12.1 innings dating back to July 31.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Notches 19th save
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Holmes earned a save against the Twins on Monday, striking out two batters in a perfect ninth inning.
Holmes needed only 11 pitches -- seven of which were strikes -- to set Minnesota down in order. The save was his second in as many days and his 19th overall this season. Since his Aug. 29 return from a stint on the injured list, Holmes has surrendered only one run while posting a 6:0 K:BB over four innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Records save in shaky outing
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Holmes picked up the save in Sunday's 2-1 win over Tampa Bay. He allowed one run to score on three hits and struck out one over one inning.
In his first appearance in three games, Holmes almost blew the game as he allowed a leadoff double and a single to bring the game within one. He then surrendered another double to put the tying run at third and the winning run at second but got the next batter to strike out looking to end the game and earn his 18th save. Holmes has not been at his best recently, as he has now allowed at least one run to score in five of his last eight appearances, including three blown saves.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Works seventh inning in return
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Holmes struck out one batter in a perfect inning in Monday's loss to the Angels.
Holmes was activated from the injured list early Monday, and he was brought in with a runner on first base in the seventh inning with the Yankees down by two runs. The righty reliever was sharp, throwing six of seven pitches for strikes and notching one punchout. Holmes had been struggling in a closing role prior to hitting the IL, but he could reclaim that role quickly if he shows that he's back to form.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Officially activated
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The Yankees reinstated Holmes (back) from the 15-day injured list Monday.
As expected, Holmes is ready to rejoin the Yankees for the start of a six-game week following a minimum-length stay on the shelf while he contended with a left lower back spasm. With 17 saves to go with a 2.39 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 49 appearances this season, Holmes has been one of baseball's top late-inning relievers on the whole, but he was on shaky ground as the Yankees' closer prior to getting shut down with the injury, as he blew his last three save chances while yielding runs in four of his most recent five appearances. Though the Yankees might prefer to ease Holmes back into action coming off the injury, the team could immediately reinstall him as closer with Aroldis Chapman (leg) recently joining Scott Effross (shoulder) on the shelf. Lou Trivino now looks like the top threat to poach saves from Holmes, though it's possible manager Aaron Boone opts for a closer committee in the short term until one reliever emerges as the most-trusted option.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: On track to return from IL
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The Yankees plan to reinstate Holmes (back) from the 15-day injured list Monday, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.
New York already optioned Luke Bard to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster for Holmes, who will return to action after missing the minimum 15 days. Though the Yankees might prefer to ease Holmes back into the mix in a lower-leverage spot, the team may have to turn to him for closing duties right away after Aroldis Chapman (leg) recently joined Scott Effross (shoulder) on the IL. Along with Holmes, Lou Trivino is another candidate to pick up saves if manager Aaron Boone opts to take a committee approach at closer.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Logs live batting-practice session
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Holmes (back) threw live batting practice Friday, per MLB.com.
This is another step toward a minimum stay on the IL for Holmes, who had previously played catch and tossed from a mound. The right-hander is eligible to be activated Monday and could very well return to the active roster on that day. Manager Aaron Boone was pleased with Holmes' live session, stating, "Today, it was just a live BP, but stuff-wise, it was there, velocity was there, movement quality was there, and he was strike-throwing."
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Remains on track for quick return
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Holmes (back) remains on track to return from the injured list Aug. 29, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports.
Holmes has played catch and thrown a bullpen session in recent days, and he reportedly is still feeling well. That puts him in line to return after a minimum stint on the injured list. Holmes' role upon his return is not clear as he allowed seven earned runs across his last four innings prior to going down, though he could be a source of saves with Scott Effross (shoulder) also sidelined.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Throws bullpen session
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Holmes (back) threw approximately 15 pitches during a bullpen session Sunday, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Holmes threw off flat ground Saturday and was cleared to begin mound work a day later. The right-hander won't throw Monday but is expected to toss another bullpen session Tuesday. Holmes has been on the injured list for less than a week, and manager Aaron Boone said it's possible that the reliever will be available for the start of the Yankees' series with the Angels that begins Aug. 29, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Plays catch
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Holmes (back) played catch Saturday for the first time since he hit the injured list, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
Holmes landed on the injured list Wednesday due to back spasms, but he's already able to throw again just three days later. That suggests his absence may not stretch much past the minimum 15 days, something the Yankees suggested was a possibility when he first hit the injured list.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Likely moving to injured list
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Holmes said Tuesday he's been dealing with back spasms for the past couple days, and he may require a stint on the injured list, Lindsey Adler of The Athletic reports.
The right-hander first had the issue crop over the weekend, and he experienced it again when throwing off a mound Tuesday. Holmes is set to rest and receive treatment, which is an indication he may require a stint on the 15-day IL. The 29-year-old's grip on the closer role was already slipping since he has surrendered seven runs and has three blown saves over his past five outings, and it now appears he'll be out for a couple weeks. Aroldis Chapman hasn't been scored upon in his past nine outings and is likely to reclaim ninth-inning duties if Holmes is out.
