An injured NY Mets player the team needs back as badly as Francisco Lindor to save the season

As disappointing as the 2026 season has been so far for the New York Mets, it's unclear whether they'll be buyers or sellers. The team has been a disappointment, to say the least, but even as bleak as things have been, the team is hanging around the fringes of the playoff race.

Getting healthy will be key. One of the most important players is on the comeback trail, with Francisco Lindor set to begin a rehab assignment. Classic Lindor would be a huge boost to the lineup, though if the Mets continue to receive the 93 wRC+ version of the star shortstop, who went on the IL and missed 44 games with a bum left calf, they'll be in trouble.

Even more important than Lindor is getting back a player who has arguably been New York's most consistent performer since coming across town last year, Clay Holmes.

Clay Holmes return to the starting rotation will have the biggest impact on the Mets playoff hopes

Here's the tough part: Holmes isn't expected back from his fractured fibula until some point in August. Per Carlos Mendoza, he's been playing "light catch," but he'll need a full ramp-up period to rebuild his arm and prepare for a return.

In the meantime, the Mets will need to at least tread water and not lose further ground. If they can do that, Holmes could become just the stabilizing force they need in order to squeeze into a wild-card spot.

His impact on the rotation can't be overstated. From Opening Day through his injury on May 15, the Mets' rotation ranked 13th in baseball with a 4.02 ERA. That sounds relatively average and not like anything to write home about, and it's true. But it's also true that a club can win with that kind of performance from its starters if the lineup and bullpen are good enough.

From May 16 onward, without the sinkerballer's services, Mets' starters have posted a ghastly 5.31 ERA, ranking 25th in MLB over that time span. Holmes' absence doesn't explain all of those struggles, but it certainly explains a lot.

Over the last season and a half, every other starter for New York has been inconsistent at best and terrible at worst. Sean Manaea saw the wheels fall off last year amid injuries and hasn't recovered. Kodai Senga had that brilliant 1.39 first-half ERA last year, but then got hurt and couldn't get anyone out in the second-half of the season.

This year, we've seen Nolan McLean look dominant, but his performance in May was downright scary. Freddy Peralta hasn't been the ace we were promised, but instead has been the semi-reliable No. 3 that all teams need, but doesn't quite move the needle.

Since becoming a Met, Holmes has a 3.26 ERA. It isn't flashy, as he won't wrack up the Ks, but his groundball-heavy approach works. Perhaps because of that, he's avoided the extreme peaks and valleys that some of the other arms have been prone to. Of course, this year, he's been even better with a 2.39 mark.

So while Lindor coming back and hopefully performing like the back of his baseball card will be a big boost, the lineup has at least had Juan Soto to lean on in his absence. The starting rotation, though, hasn't been as fortunate as Holmes has been its rock. Now it will be up to the entire team to come together and string enough wins together that Holmes has something meaningful to come back to in August.

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