Mets' Clay Holmes making strides toward return from leg fracture. Is an extension in his future?
Mets starting pitcher Clay Holmes delivers against the Yankees during the first inning at Citi Field on May 15, 2026. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Clay Holmes took another meaningful step toward an eventual return this season, throwing off a mound for the fourth time Friday afternoon.
It had been 56 days since the devastating news that he suffered a fractured right fibula when he was hit in the leg by Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones’ line drive. (And don’t forget that Holmes faced seven more batters after suffering the injury.)
But now it’s time to look to what the rest of the season may hold for Holmes, whether that’s for the NL East-worst Mets or another franchise.
The Athletic reported Thursday that Holmes is “definitely open” to inking a midseason extension for the Mets. But the 33-year-old righthander — in the second season of a three-year, $38 million contract with a player option for 2027 — also could be a compelling trade target for many teams.
Between his improving health, a possible extension and a potential trade, how is Holmes looking at all of this?
“Obviously, priority one is to kind of get healthy,” he told Newsday after his bullpen session. “Today was a good step for that. I’ve said before, I really just want to be healthy and help this team win. How long that looks like or exactly, it’s not totally in my control.
“I’ve said that obviously I like it here, and I’m appreciative of what I’ve been able to do here and the people that have helped me and believed in me. But a lot of those things, they’re up in the air. I just want to get back healthy and helping this team, and yeah, hopefully that’s for a little bit. But we’ll see.”
Holmes, who has a 2.39 ERA in nine starts this season, added that it’s “not really” difficult balancing his improving health and what else awaits him.
He threw 40 pitches Friday with “two ups.” Marcus Semien, also on the injured list with a left hip flexor strain, stood in the box — though he didn’t swing — as Holmes pitched against a stand-in batter for the first time since his injury. He said he threw at “normal full bullpen intensity.”
“I’m kind of at my normal kind of velos with where I’m at in bullpens,” he said. “So feel pretty much as normal as you can feel. It’s just a matter of building the pitch count up now and go from there.”
Said interim manager Andy Green: “Looked like Clay, which is really good. The stuff was moving all over the place. It was great to see him on the mound, get two innings in, basically, in a simulated setting. Nobody’s swinging there, but the batter’s standing in the box. So I think we’re all encouraged to see where Clay is.
“So he felt really good coming off, so he’ll keep moving forward to his next step.”
That “next step” is to be determined. Holmes noted that the impending All-Star break is something to schedule around and that he’ll probably face live hitters next, likely in Florida because of the break.
As far as a realistic goal in terms of a return to action, he said: “We’ll have to sit down. I mean, this is kind of a benchmark to clear. This is kind of the last bullpen we had scheduled, so feeling good. But we got to sit down now that we’ve kind of got to this point and see what the next little bit looks like. So now that we’ve kind of got to this point, we’ll be able to have those conversations, but we haven’t had them yet.”
Green, whose first game at the helm was June 26 after Carlos Mendoza was fired, hasn’t managed Holmes yet. But he welcomes the chance, if it happens. Said Green: “It’s fun managing great players.”
Notes & quotes: Monday’s Home Run Derby field was completed and did not include Juan Soto, who won the 2022 Derby . . . Mark Vientos (right hand fracture) is expected to miss six to eight weeks, though no surgery is expected as of now. “It sucks because I definitely want to be with the team,’’ he said. “I definitely want to play with the guys, and I love playing baseball at the same time. It sucks for sure.” . . . Righthander Tobias Myers was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and infielder Zack Short was selected to the Mets’ roster . . . Righthander Dan Hammer was designated for assignment.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
