Jason Burgos
The New York Mets would be better off moving Clay Holmes to the bullpen for the rest of the season, and President David Stearns has a pair of very strong options to replace him just waiting in Triple-A.
Some were surprised when the Mets decided to sign former Yankees closer Holmes and move him from the bullpen into their starting rotation. However, switching relievers into starting pitchers has been a growing trend in recent years. And several teams have gotten strong results from the switch. Including the White Sox with Garrett Crochet and the Padres with Michael King.
Over the first few months of the season, the Mets proved that their decision was the right one. From March through June, the two-time All-Star posted a 3.13 ERA and an 8-4 record. He was everything they could have asked for. However, since then, things have been very different.
Since July 1, his ERA has ballooned to 5.09. From the start, many wondered if he would be able to hold up over an entire season. His late-season decline shows he still needs to build his arm strength. However, fortunately for New York, he was once an elite reliever, and he can make the transition back far easier than most starting pitchers.
Adding to the case for Holmes to be moved back to the bullpen is the fact that the club has a pair of very talented pitchers in Triple-A that would be great short-term replacement options.
Should New York Mets replace Clay Holmes with Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong ASAP?
Mets fans got a jolt of excitement last week when highly touted prospect Nolan McLean made his big league debut against the Mariners. He went into the sixth inning and struck out eight en route to a victory against a good Seattle order.
New York has done a lot of work to improve their farm system over the last few years, and the fruits of those labors are blooming. Because there are a pair of ripe pitchers available to the club in Brandon Sproat and stud prospect Jonah Tong.
Tong just got promoted to Triple-A this month. So Stearns is likely to be more conservative with him. But if they don’t want to miss the playoffs, desperate times call for desperate measures. The youngster has, arguably, been the best minor league pitcher in all of baseball this season. And in his first Triple-A start, he continued his dominance with a victory as he gave up no runs and punched out nine.
If the Mets did not want to take that bold step, Sproat deserves serious consideration. He has been one of their better pitchers in Syracuse this year, and he struck out six in his most recent outing. He has not dominated like Tong, but he is ready for the next level. And would give New York a fresh arm, with good stuff, while boosting the bullpen.
David Stearns has Clay Holmes replacement options in the minors, and he needs to pull the trigger on one of them soon.
