Holmes struck out one in a perfect ninth inning to notch his 30th save of the season in Sunday's 6-4 win over Pittsburgh.
He finally picked up his 30th save of the season Sunday, his first since Aug. 30. The 31-year-old struggled in September, going 1-for-4 in save chances with two holds, a 6.00 ERA, a 1.67 WHIP and an 8:6 K:BB in nine innings. Holmes' 13 blown saves easily led MLB, but he still had a productive year as the Yankees primary closer, posting a 3.14 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 68:22 K:BB.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Takes 13th blown save
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Holmes was charged with a blown save in Wednesday's extra-inning win over Seattle, allowing a solo home run over two-thirds of an inning while striking out one.
Holmes took the mound with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and walked the first batter he faced before getting Cal Raleigh to fly out to left field for the final out. The right-hander returned for the eighth and got Randy Arozarena to go down swinging for the first out but was then taken deep by Justin Turner as Seattle tied the game at 1-1. Holmes would not complete the inning after being charged with his league-leading 13th blown save of the campaign, and he's now surrendered six runs over seven relief appearances this month (span of five innings). He's also given up at least one hit in five of his last seven outings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Fewer save chances coming
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the team will get "creative" with the closer role going forward, which could still include Holmes depending on matchups, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Boone avoided explicitly saying that Holmes has been demoted from the closer role, but that's the clear indication even if the right-hander is still somewhat involved. The 31-year-old surrendered a grand slam Tuesday against Texas as he blew his league-leading 11th save of the season, which finally prompted the Yankees to change their approach. Holmes has been fairly effective overall with a 3.27 ERA across 55 innings, but he's allowed a lot of traffic with a 1.33 WHIP and 3.1 BB/9. Boone didn't name any alternative relievers, but Mark Leiter, Luke Weaver and Tommy Kahnle could all be in the mix for saves.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Melts down Tuesday
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Holmes (2-5) took the loss and a blown save in Tuesday's 7-4 loss to the Rangers, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks over one-third of an inning.
Holmes threw just 12 of 25 pitches for strikes. He loaded the bases and then gave up a walk-off grand slam to Wyatt Langford to complete the Yankees' collapse. Holmes has now blown five saves in 13 chances since the All-Star break, though he had converted three in a row while not allowing a run over his previous five appearances (4.2 innings) entering Tuesday. For the season, Holmes is 29-for-40 in save chances with a 3.27 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 60:19 K:BB through 55 innings. His struggles in August didn't cost him the closer role, but Mark Leiter and Luke Weaver would be most likely to pick up any ancillary saves if Holmes' share of the ninth inning decreases.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Secures 29th save
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Holmes earned the save in Friday's 6-3 victory over St. Louis, pitching a scoreless inning with no strikeouts.
The 31-year-old reliever made quick work of the Cardinals in the ninth, working around an inning-opening error by Anthony Volpe to retire the side on just eight pitches. Despite suffering two blown saves in August, he has pitched to a 1.93 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 15:4 K:BB with seven saves across 9.1 innings this month. He continues to lead MLB in blown saves (10), but his 29 saves puts him in the top five.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Picks up 28th save
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Holmes threw a perfect ninth inning to earn the save against the Nationals on Monday.
Holmes entered the game with a 5-2 lead and pitched a 1-2-3 frame against the Nationals. Holmes leads MLB with 10 blown saves, but he also ranks among the top five in the league with 28 saves. The 31-year-old has a 2.72 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 53 innings this season.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Earns 27th save
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Holmes allowed a walk and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save against the Rockies on Friday.
Holmes was asked to protect a 3-0 lead in the ninth frame and did so on 19 pitches. The 31-year-old rebounded from a blown save in his last chance Sunday and has registered six scoreless outings in eight August appearances. On the season, he has 27 saves to go along with a 2.77 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 60:16 K:BB across 52 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Blows save Sunday
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Holmes was charged with a blown save in Sunday's loss to the Tigers, allowing one run on two hits while striking out three over an inning.
Holmes entered trying to preserve a 1-0 lead and was unable to do so. He allowed a one-out double to Colt Keith, who would come around to score on a base-hit from Jace Jung to send the game into extras. Since July 5, Holmes has six blown saves to his seven saves, and he leads all of baseball with 10 blown saves this season. On a positive note, he does have multiple strikeouts in each of his last four appearances and is still tied for sixth in baseball with 26 saves. For the year, Holmes owns a 2.88 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 56:14 K:BB in 50 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Notches 26th save
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Holmes earned the save in Friday's 3-0 win over the Tigers, striking out two in a perfect ninth inning.
Holmes has now converted five of his last six save chances, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight in that span (5.1 innings). The right-hander is up to 26 saves on the year with a 2.76 ERA, 1.29. WHIP and 53:14 K:BB across 49 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Resting Monday
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Holmes won't be available to pitch Monday against the White Sox for rest purposes, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Holmes was forced to battle to secure a four-out save during Sunday's 8-7 victory over the Rangers, firing 24 of 45 pitches for strikes. Skipper Aaron Boone failed to disclose who he would deploy in a save situation Monday, only that Holmes would be shut down for the day following a heavy workload.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Claims save No. 24
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Holmes earned a save against the Angels in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday, striking out two batters in a perfect inning of work.
Holmes had little trouble protecting a three-run, ninth-inning lead, retiring the side in order on 13 pitches. The right-hander had blown four of his previous six save chances coming in, though he had allowed just two earned runs over 7.1 frames during that span. Holmes leads the majors with nine blown saves on the campaign, but his numbers have been otherwise acceptable, as he has a 2.70 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 49:12 K:BB across 46.2 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Saddled with blown save
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Holmes blew his ninth save of the season in Sunday's win against the Blue Jays, striking out one batter in two-thirds of an inning. He wasn't charged with a run and did not allow a hit or a walk.
Holmes came on in the eighth inning with a one-run lead and the bases loaded with one out. He allowed a run to score on a sacrifice fly before striking out Addison Barger to end the inning. There wasn't much Holmes could have done to avoid the blown save, but he has now failed to convert four of his past six save chances and leads MLB with nine blown saves. Even with those hiccups, the 31-year-old owns a 2.76 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 47:12 K:BB in 45.2 innings this year while converting 23 of 32 save opportunities.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Earns 23rd save
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Holmes struck out the only batter he faced to earn the save in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Blue Jays.
Holmes was called upon with the bases loaded in the ninth inning and struck out George Springer to earn a one-out save. The 31-year-old has rebounded from a rough patch of three consecutive blown saves by converting back-to-back chances on just 11 total pitches. On the season, he is 23-for-31 in save chances with a 2.80 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 46:12 K:BB across 45 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Rebounds for 22nd save
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Holmes earned the save in Wednesday's 6-5 win over the Phillies, working around one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.
Protecting a one-run lead, it looked like Holmes could be in trouble again after Kyle Schwarber led off the ninth with a single. However, he would get Austin Hays to fly out before coaxing a game-ending, double-play ball off the bat of Bryce Harper. The 31-year-old Holmes had blown three straight save opportunities prior to Wednesday, including a 26-pitch appearance Tuesday. Despite his recent inconsistency, Holmes still sports a solid 2.82 ERA with a 1.34 WHIP and 45:12 K:BB across 44.2 innings this season while converting 22 of 30 save chances.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Another blown save
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Holmes was charged with a blown save in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-innings win over the Phillies, allowing a run on three hits and a walk in the ninth inning.
Charged with protecting a one-run lead, Holmes allowed hits to two of the first three batters he faced in the ninth before throwing a wild pitch with two outs that would allow the tying run to score. While Holmes would eventually escape a bases-loaded jam with the game tied, he's now blown three straight save chances despite allowing just two earned runs in his last 7.2 innings. Overall, the 31-year-old Holmes has converted 21 of 29 save opportunities this year while sporting a 2.89 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP and 45:12 K:BB across 43.2 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Tosses two scoreless innings
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Holmes (2-4) earned the extra-inning win Saturday over the Red Sox, walking one and striking out two over two scoreless and hitless innings.
Holmes had blown two straight save chances entering Saturday. He didn't have a lead to protect in the ninth inning of this game, but he kept it tied, and then stayed on to defend a three-run lead in the 10th. Holmes is now at a 2.74 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 45:11 K:BB with 21 saves in 28 chances this season. Despite some rough outings lately, his status as the Yankees' closer is not in question.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Second straight blown save
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Holmes was stuck with a blown save in Friday's loss to the Red Sox, allowing one run on two hits while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning.
Holmes replaced Luke Weaver with one out and runners on first and second in the eighth inning. The right-hander promptly allowed a game-tying double to Wilyer Abreu before the Red Sox took a two-run lead on a Masataka Yoshida single. The 31-year-old Holmes has now blown back-to-back save chances and three of his last five opportunities while struggling to a 7.29 ERA in his last 11.1 innings. Overall, he's 21-for-28 in save chances this year with a 2.88 ERA, 1.30. WHIP and 43:10 K:BB across 40.2 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Let down by defense in blown save
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Holmes (1-4) blew a save and was the pitcher of record in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Orioles, allowing three unearned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one batter over two-thirds of an inning.
In a roller-coaster ninth inning, New York scored three runs in the top of the frame to take a 5-3 lead. Holmes entered to try to close things out in the bottom of the inning but couldn't get the job done, giving up three runs, the final two of which came on a Cedric Mullins walk-off double. Though he didn't pitch particularly well, it would be unfair to pin the blame entirely on Holmes for the dramatic defeat, as a two-out error by Anthony Volpe allowed a run to score and kept the frame alive for Mullins' double, which had an xBA of .150, per Statcast -- Alex Verdugo took a terrible route to the ball and pinned the blame on himself for the result after the game, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. It was nonetheless a poor end to the first half of the campaign for Holmes, who has blown two of his past four save chances while giving up five runs (two earned) across four frames during that span.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Grabs 21st save
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Holmes earned the save in Friday's 4-1 win over the Orioles, striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.
After striking out Jordan Westburg to open the ninth, Holmes would then hit Heston Kjerstad in the helmet with one out, causing the benches to clear. However, Holmes would settle back in and record the final two outs, preserving the 4-1 victory to earn his 21st save. The 31-year-old closer has delivered back-to-back scoreless outings after surrendering eight earned runs in his previous 6.2 innings. He lowered his ERA to 2.82 on the year with a 1.23 WHIP and 40:8 K:BB across 38.1 innings.
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Yankees' Clay Holmes: Racks up save No. 20
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Holmes struck out two over 1.1 perfect innings Wednesday to record his 20th save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Rays.
It was Holmes' first save since June 9, as he'd blown his last two chances while posting a worrying 10.80 ERA over his past seven appearances. Despite the rough stretch, he still sports a 2.89 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 39:8 K:BB through 37.1 innings on the season and has already banked his third straight 20-save campaign.
