The New York Mets took a calculated risk by moving Clay Holmes into the starting rotation, but early returns suggest that he may not be cut out for the role. While Holmes has proven himself as a dominant bullpen arm in recent years, his transition to a starter has come with noticeable struggles. The question now is: how long will the Mets stick with this experiment before moving him back to the bullpen?

Early Struggles as a Starter Holmes’ outing against the Astros showcased some of the concerns that have followed him since the role change. While he flashed his trademark sinker, inducing ground balls and getting a few key strikeouts, he also lacked the ability to consistently work deep into the game. He struggled with command at times, issuing multiple walks and allowing key hits that led to runs. The Astros capitalized on his inability to escape jams efficiently, and by the fifth inning, his pitch count had already climbed to an unsustainable level.

This is a pattern that has followed Holmes throughout his career when given extended outings. As a reliever, he thrives in short bursts where he can rely on his power sinker to generate quick outs. But when asked to stretch over multiple innings, his effectiveness tends to wane, leading to more baserunners and increased stress on the defense.

Can He Adjust? The biggest concern with Holmes in a starting role is his ability to maintain consistency beyond two or three innings. Unlike established starters who can mix up their pitches deep into a game, Holmes leans heavily on his sinker and doesn’t have a deep enough arsenal to keep hitters off balance the second or third time through the order. The Astros exposed this, making adjustments as the game wore on and forcing Holmes into high-stress situations that eventually led to runs.

Unless Holmes can develop a reliable secondary pitch or improve his stamina significantly, it’s unlikely he will become a viable long-term starter. The Mets need to ask themselves whether his potential as a mid-rotation arm is worth the risk of continued struggles or if they’d be better off returning him to the bullpen where he’s already proven to be dominant.

How Long Is His Leash? The Mets likely won’t make an immediate change after just one rough outing, but Holmes’ leash as a starter may be short. If he continues to struggle with efficiency and gives up runs early in games, the Mets may be forced to reevaluate their rotation plans. With bullpen depth being a constant need, moving Holmes back to a high-leverage relief role could end up benefiting both him and the team.

For now, the Mets will give him a few more starts to prove himself, but if he can’t show improvement, it won’t be long before the experiment ends and he’s back to doing what he does best—shutting down hitters in the late innings.