3 NY Mets truths we learned in their series win vs. the Marlins

2) Clay Holmes needs to get into a starter's mindset

Making his second start of the season in the series finale, Clay Holmes battled through 4 2/3 innings before Carlos Mendoza turned things over to the bullpen. On paper, his numbers don’t scream frontline starter, three earned runs on 11 hits, six walks, and 10 strikeouts through 9 1/3 innings. But the box score doesn’t tell the full story. The defense behind him hasn’t exactly done him any favors, especially in Miami, where a misplayed ball in center by Taylor and an errant throw from Vientos made his outing tougher than it should have been. Factor in a few borderline calls that didn’t go his way, and his night easily could have looked a lot different.

It’s clear that this reliever-turned-starter still has some closer tendencies to shake. His stuff is nasty—he hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit all season—but not every at-bat needs to end in a strikeout. A first-pitch groundout to shortstop works just as well. Holmes led all of MLB last year with a 71.4% groundball rate, yet he’s still treating too many hitters like they’re in the ninth inning of a one-run game. If he wants to go deeper into starts, he’ll need to adjust. Attack the zone, trust the defense, and let that new arsenal work for you.