The will be without for “a long time,” , after the right-handed starter suffered a fractured fibula during their loss to the on Friday.
Holmes sustained the injury in the fourth inning when he was struck on the lower leg by a 111.1 mph comebacker off the bat of rookie :
Clay Holmes got hit by this comebacker off the bat of Spencer Jones in the fourth inning.
Holmes stayed in the game and pitched into the fifth
Holmes remained in the game but departed in the fifth after allowing four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
As Mendoza’s remarks suggest, Holmes’ absence figures to be measured in weeks and perhaps months, which makes this a grave blow to the Mets’ already fading hopes for 2026. Holmes in this his age-33 season has pitched to a 2.39 ERA in nine starts and 52 2/3 innings. Coming into Friday night’s start, Holmes’ 1.9 WAR for the season led the team by a wide margin.
Once Holmes is placed on the injured list, he’ll join fellow Mets starters (spine inflammation), (Tommy John surgery in September of 2025), and (rib fracture). To take Holmes’ turns, the Mets could turn to , who’s filling a long relief role presently, but he’s struggled this season. Prospect , who made five starts for the Mets last season, is another possibility, but he’s fared poorly at Triple-A Syracuse in 2026.
As for the Mets, the Friday loss ended their three-game winning streak and dropped them to 18-26 on the season. They remain in last place in the National League East. The Mets aimed to contend this season after narrowly missing the playoffs last year. Thus far, though, they’ve been one of most disappointing teams, and the loss of a key contributor like Holmes only makes their odds of mounting a comeback in the standings even longer.
