The New York Mets have suffered a significant setback as starting pitcher Clay Holmes broke his right leg on Friday night.
Holmes was hit by a 111 mph line drive from New York Yankees designated hitter Spencer Jones during their game at Citi Field. The Mets lost the game 5-2.
The Incident
In the fourth inning, with the Mets trailing 3-0, Jones hit Holmes’ 94 mph sinker back at him. The ball deflected off Holmes’ leg into foul territory. Despite this, the 33-year-old initially remained in the game.
Holmes even managed to finish the inning. He threw six balls, then recorded consecutive strikeouts and retired Aaron Judge on a fly ball with the bases loaded.
Following a one-out walk in the fifth, Holmes was taken out of the game, having thrown 95 pitches. He delivered 26 pitches while facing seven batters after being struck by the line drive.
Mendoza’s Account
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Holmes initially felt fine after being checked. “He said he was fine. That’s the crazy part. We went out, checked him out, threw a couple pitches, was able to finish the inning,” Mendoza stated.
Mendoza further explained that Holmes insisted he was good to continue. “Comes back in and he didn’t even give me a chance. He said, ‘I’m good to go back out,’ and he goes back out there. Sent him for X-rays and this is what we’re dealing with now.”
The subsequent X-rays revealed a fractured right fibula. Mendoza confirmed this would sideline Holmes “for a long time.”
Initial Reaction and Impact
Mendoza noted the surprising nature of the injury, given Holmes’ initial assessment. “That’s the hard part to understand. He was fine, we checked him, finished the inning, he goes back out because he feels good. And then the last pitch, something didn’t look right. He came out, I’m talking to him in the dugout, he’s like, yeah, something didn’t feel right,” Mendoza said.
Before the injury, Holmes had been a key performer for the Mets. Across nine starts, he posted a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings.
Holmes’ Performance
In the game, Holmes (4-4) was charged with four runs and seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. He recorded eight strikeouts and two walks.
- Holmes entered Friday third in the National League with a 1.86 ERA.
The Mets starter signed…