Technically speaking, Holmes routinely finished among the best in the league in xwOBA, wOBA, xSLG, Barrel %, and xERA over the last four seasons. If it wasn’t for Edwin Díaz locking down the 9th inning across the river, Holmes would have gotten more notice as a household name in New York City.
And yet, despite predictions at the offseason’s outset that he would pitch in tandem with a closer in the same ilk as Díaz in 2025, Holmes will instead slot into the Mets’ rotation to kick off the campaign. While his offerings worked very well out of the bullpen, he should look for an additional weapon to counter the third-time-through-the-order penalty. Although his wOBA in 2024 was similar against both sides of the plate, he should permanently incorporate a change-up into his arsenal, a pitch he’s only tinkered with in games.