The best example of what the Mets hope to get out of Clay Holmes

The New York Mets plan to turn recently-added free agent prize in pitcher Clay Holmes from a relief pitcher into a starting pitcher. Holmes had spent the past three and a half seasons with the Yankees as one of the better relief pitchers in the game, registering a 2.67 ERA and 74 saves in 217.2 innings of work. On Friday, it was reported that he signed a 3-year, $38 million contract with the Mets.

Wth starting pitching coming at a premium this offseason, the Mets are attempting to be creative in addressing some of the holes on the roster (like maximizing room on the payroll to potentially sign Juan Soto). Holmes will not be the first pitcher in recent times to try and turn from a star reliever into a viable starting pitcher that can get the Mets to more postseasons. Other teams tried it as well. There is a pitcher from one of the Mets' National League East rivals they can look to for success.

The best example of what the Mets can hope to get out of Clay Holmes is Atlanta Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez.

Reynaldo Lopez was exceptional for the Atlanta Braves last season, as he went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 135.2 innings pitched. The Braves worked on his mechanics in spring training, and it paid dividends immediately, and was a big reason why the Braves withstood so many injuries to their rotation and made the playoffs.

The Braves also got Lopez to use his breaking pitches more, which improved the arsenal of pitches needed to be a starter. Lopez improved his command of what is a rising fastball, and it was a devastating weapon for him last year. The run value on his fastball according to Baseball Savant was plus-19, the third highest of any pitcher in baseball last year behind Cleveland's Cade Smith and Cincinnati's Hunter Greene. His walk rate was cut from 12.2 percent in 2023 to just 7.7 percent in 2024.

Lopez was always a talented pitchers; he just needed better coaching and management to maximize his talents in the majors. Lopez was a top-100 pitching prospect 10 years ago when he dominated in the Nationals farm system, then he was traded to the White Sox in the Adam Eaton deal, but he did not pan out as a reliable starting pitcher there. He spent 2023 with the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians, before seeing his career turn around last season in Atlanta.

The Mets believe that they can get similar results out of Holmes this season because they may have found stuff in his game that makes him a good rotation candidate, such as a high ground ball rate, plus-plus stuff on his slider and sweeper that have overwhelmed right-handed hitters through the years. The Mets also think they can help him develop a pitch or two (such as an improved fastball) to make his repertoire even scarier to face that will stretch him out to be a starter.

The Mets found inroads last year with Sean Manaea and Luis Severino and turned them into respected starting pitchers once again. Now they hope they can turn Holmes from an ace reliever into an ace starter and solidify the Mets and their pitching lab as a destination for pitchers to restore their career promises.