3 NY Mets players whose early success feels like it has a nearing expiration date

Spring training is a distant memory by now. The words Port St. Lucie only enter our eyes when checking on low-level prospects or vacation destinations. The New York Mets went into camp with much higher expectations than last year. Fans packed Clover Field and visiting ballparks for their first chance to see Juan Soto swing a bat for the team.

Results in the preseason are about as important as the stats put up in a rehab appearance. Oftentimes times an established veteran will struggle in spring training only to kick it into high gear when the games begin to count. The exact opposite could be said about guys trying to make the team.

However you feel about spring training results, it’s clear these three Mets players who dominated in the preseason weren’t about to let us forget about it so easily. Their spring training dominance was no fluke.

1) Clay Holmes

Is Clay Holmes the ace of the Mets staff? All things considered, including the absence of Kodai Senga for a portion of the season, it’s easy to declare this converted closer the number one starter on the roster but with an asterisk. Is he beginning to teeter into being one of those useful arms you can’t count on for more than 5 innings?

In the regular season, Holmes is 8-4 with a 2.99 ERA in 17 starts. Outrageously acceptable, the issue is the biggest question about him heading into the year: does he have all of the innings in his arm to get through a full season? He hasn’t offered the Mets nearly enough length. Over his last three starts, he has recorded 14, 15, and 16 outs with 14 walks in those 15 innings. The Mets are protecting him from a full-blown implosion; however, the signs are there of him being an incredibly limited rotation piece for the remainder of the season.

Way back in the spring, Holmes absolutely dominated. Although David Peterson had a superior 0.57 ERA in his 3 starts and relief appearance, Holmes was right there. In 5 outings spanning 19.1 innings of work, Holmes struck out 23, walked 8, and finished with an outrageous 0.78 WHIP. Hitters had a .109 batting average against him. Just 7 hits allowed in exhibition action, Mets fans raised the bar for Holmes based entirely on how the preseason went.

Fortunately, the bar wasn’t raised without purpose. Holmes has delivered in the regular season. Although still viewed behind Senga by many, Holmes welcomed durability in his first year in a while making starts adds to the growing legend.

The Mets took a risk by signing Holmes to a multi-year deal with a plan to make him a starter. So far, it has gone well. The brilliant part of it is if Holmes is indeed beginning to go sour, a move to the bullpen shouldn’t be an impossible change. First, the Mets need to find a starter to replace him.