Clay Holmes got both of his free agency wishes with Mets deal

The last time Clay Holmes started a major league game came at the end of the 2018 season, his rookie year with the Pirates. Since then, the right-hander moved to the bullpen, was traded to the Yankees and became a two-time All-Star in The Bronx. But when he became a free agent for the first time, Holmes had another goal in mind — which is how he ended up signing a three-year, $38 million deal to go across town to the Mets as a starter. After toying with a changeup and four-seamer in bullpens during last season, Holmes, who has relied on a terrific slider as a reliever, said his desire to return to starting “has always been there.” “Early in the offseason, I met with a few teams that had some interest and it opened the door for more serious conversations,’’ Holmes said.“I didn’t want to look back at the end of my career and say, ‘Man, what could have come of that?’ Deep down, I had a passion for it.” His opportunity will come in Queens for a Mets team in need of starters. Holmes’ sinker usage decreased each of the past three seasons with the Yankees, from a career-high 80.1 percent in 2022 to 56.3 percent this past season. He struggled for part of the second half, which cost Holmes his closer spot, but he’ll find himself in a much different position with the Mets, where he’ll be playing for ex-Yankee bench coach Carlos Mendoza and with Juan Soto, his former teammate in The Bronx. “I got to see one year of what he’s capable of and it’s incredible,” Holmes said of Soto.

“Deep down, I can’t lie, I made my decision because I think it’s the best place, but hopefully [I thought] maybe Juan sees this and sees the water’s fine and heads over here.” Holmes and the Mets got their wish, but they’ll need more than Soto to get to where they want to go. There are plenty of question marks in the rotation, where Kodai Senga is now backed up by newly signed Frankie Montas, as well as Tylor Megill, David Peterson and perhaps P...