Mets make promise to Clay Holmes as he gets head start on $38 million role change

Clay Holmes is entering unfamiliar territory this spring, swapping Tampa for Port St. Lucie and the reliever life for a starting role. 

So one of the more intriguing members of the Mets rotation arrived at their spring training complex over a week ago — with pitchers and catchers not required to report until Feb. 12 — to get a head start on his buildup. 

The former Yankees closer, who signed with the Mets on a three-year, $38 million contract last month, is encouraged by how the transition to becoming a starter has gone so far. 

“It’s not like I’m having to necessarily change who I am as a pitcher,” Holmes said Saturday at the Mets fan fest at Citi Field. “It’s like, you do these things, and there’s a lot of belief there that a lot of good can come from being a starting pitcher.” 

The Mets are banking on that being the case with Holmes part of a rotation that has plenty of upside — without a true ace — but a fair amount of risk as well.

They re-signed Sean Manaea, coming off a career year, to anchor the group and hope to have potential ace Kodai Senga coming back healthy after an injury-marred 2024.