Side effects of blatant NY Mets move they should've made is leaking other places

The New York Mets are moving toward a six-man rotation, but the conversation isn’t just about who starts. It’s about who shifts roles to cover the innings this staff has struggled to handle. With Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea often unable to work deep into games, the Mets need someone in long relief who can keep them competitive when starters exit early. That’s the role that could define how this plan works.

So far, Brandon Sproat has been the one nudged toward the bullpen, while Tylor Megill is looking to return as the 6th man in this rotation. What’s surprising is how little attention has been paid to Clay Holmes, who has already logged more innings than ever before and has experience working in relief. If the Mets are serious about balancing six starters and protecting their prospects, Holmes’ role on this staff might need to change down the stretch.

Clay Holmes checks every box for long relief, but so far the Mets haven’t shown any interest in putting him there.

Brandon Sproat’s second-half dominance makes his recent shift to the bullpen striking—and it highlights a bigger question: why hasn’t Clay Holmes been seriously considered for long relief? Sproat allowed just 11 earned runs on 22 hits with 51 strikeouts in 42.1 innings this season. In his recent relief appearance working behind an opener, he threw 3.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. While these outings don’t define his performance, they underscore the Mets’ willingness to move a top prospect into a role that Holmes could arguably fill more effectively.

There was thought that Tylor Megill could rejoin the team Friday, but they scheduled another rehab outing Thursday in Syracuse to help him build his pitch count. Megill has been sharp in three rehab appearances, tossing 10 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts. The hope now is that he will join the team next week, but his arrival doesn’t address the team’s need for a reliable long-relief option; it just gives the Mets their 6-man rotation.

Holmes’ track record makes him the perfect candidate for the role. He has been steady all year, posting a 3.60 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 109 strikeouts across 137.1 innings. This season, he has already thrown 67.1 innings more than at any prior point in his career, and bullpen work is familiar territory for him. Holmes’ experience in mentally and physically preparing to enter games from the bullpen makes him ideal to handle multiple frames when starters like Senga, Manaea, or even Sproat struggle or reach high pitch counts, providing the team with innings coverage while maintaining consistency. Despite this, the Mets have shown little inclination to deploy him in that capacity.

The Mets’ reluctance to consider Holmes for long relief remains puzzling, particularly as Senga and Manaea have consistently failed to reach the fifth inning this month. Holmes offers a solution built on experience and durability, yet the team has yet to call on him in extended relief. Allowing Sproat to continue his development as a starter and Megill nearing a return, Holmes’ ability to bridge multiple innings is one of the clearest ways the Mets could stabilize their pitching staff down the stretch, making his absence from the conversation all the more surprising.