7 NY Mets players who will make the Opening Day roster but will be on thin ice

5) Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes isn’t going anywhere anytime soon other than maybe to the bullpen where many believe he truly belongs. Signed by the Mets to be a starting pitcher, this bold gamble can eventually help improve the relief corps while negatively affecting the team’s rotation. They have several backup plans. But there’s a reason why the Holmes backup plans aren’t a part of Plan-A, none are especially good.

There isn’t a reason why the Mets should push too hard for Holmes to work out as a starter. His contract lines up perfectly for what a reliever of his caliber should have gotten. This isn’t a situation where a guy such as Sean Manaea is underperforming and about to become the most expensive reliever in the game. Holmes is an experiment who, during his Mets tenure, could get flipped to the bullpen for an extended period of time before re-entering the rotation. It’s about getting the most quality innings out of him regardless of the role.

The Mets will have some patience with Holmes. However, a hypothetical cut-off date of around Memorial Day should be at the front of their minds. Even if the alternatives don’t look so great on paper, they can’t keep tossing him onto the mound as a starter if things are going poorly.