Clay Holmes Resigns, Brings Him Back Into the Bullpen Mix
The non-tender trade deadline was pretty much a non-event for the Pittsburgh Pirates. They tendered contracts to three of their arbitration-eligible players and non-tendered one while the others headed to arbitration. The only player the Pirates let go was relief pitcher Clay Holmes, who pitched in one game before suffering a right forearm strain that forced him to miss the rest of the season. Holmes has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Pirates and has yet to live up to his full potential. With the bullpen in dire need of help, it looked like the Pirates were moving on from the 2011 ninth-round draft pick.
However, the Pirates brought back Clay Holmes yesterday by signing him to a Minor League deal. He also received an invite to Spring Training giving him a chance to compete for a spot in the 2021 bullpen. Holmes has dealt with injuries throughout his professional career and hasn't had the opportunity to truly show himself in the Big Leagues. Now, he has the opportunity to come back and prove that he belongs on the big league roster. You can never have too many pitching options and Holmes gives the Pirates another option for the bullpen. He has had a long journey in the Pirates system, and he jas a chance to prove that the Pirates still have something in the 27-year-old.
His Elementary Year's
When Clay Holmes was drafted in 2011, it was thought that he was going to be part of the next wave of starting pitchers. Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Clay Holmes were going to be the next aces of the Pirates rotation. However, Holmes has seemed to find more success in the bullpen and has lived there at the Major League level. He had a career 3.63 ERA in seven Minor League seasons between the bullpen and the starting rotation. He limited opponents to a .245 batting average and was able to strike out 474 batters over his 584.2 innings of work. After years on the Pirate's top prospect list, Holmes finally made his long-awaited Major League Debut during the 2018 season.
He made his MLB debut on April 6th, 2018, coming out of the bullpen against the Cincinnati Reds. It was an average outing, with Holmes going two innings and allowing one earned run, as he was officially introduced to the Big Leagues. However, he would be sent back down to the Minor Leagues and didn't return until late June with another bullpen appearance. He made his first Major League start on July 4th against the Los Angeles Dodgers and things didn't go so well as he gave up four earned runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of work. He finished the year with a not so impressive 6.84 ERA in 26.1 innings of work. His control was his biggest problem as he walked 23 batters in 26.1 innings of work.
He was able to secure a spot in the bullpen for the 2019 season and ended up appearing in 35 games of relief. He still wasn't as effective as the Pirates would have hoped as he had an ERA in the mid-sixes by the end of July. However, it was found out that he suffered a right tricep strain and he had to miss nearly a half month of the season. He returned in mid-August and was much more effective at the end of the year with ERAs of 3.86 and 3.97 in August and September respectively. 2020 was supposed to be Holmes's year but he suffered a foot fracture and a right forearm strain that allowed him to only appear in one game. His control has been his biggest issue throughout his career as he walked 56 batters in 77.2 innings of work.
Competition For 2021
Clay Holmes received an invite to Spring Training with his new contract and is going to be in competition for one of the bullpen spots next season. Unlike most bullpen guys, Holmes does not have a fastball in his arsenal. His primary pitch is his curveball, which is unusual for any pitcher. He throws it in there 59.1% of the time, using it mostly against left-handed batters. It has a total movement of 12.3 inches with most of that coming with its nine inches of horizontal break. He likes to work it down and into left-handers causing them to swing over the top of it. His sinker is his next most used pitch at 39.8% and it is one of the best sinkers in the MLB with 15.1 inches of vertical break.
Holmes is an interesting case because he can fill several roles for the Pirates both in middle relief and as a long reliever. With his starting pitching background, he can work multiple innings at a time filling in when a starter gets hurt. He can also turn around in a late-inning situation and get a big out when. Your team needs it. He isn't a high-velocity guy, but he uses his sinker and his curveball to have opponents drive pitches into the ground. He is looking to show what he has shown in his Minor League career, that he can be an effective reliever or a starter for the Pirates. He has a lot of competition with guys like Sam Howard, Chris Stratton, and Michael Feliz all set for next season, but he looks to show more of what he has to offer for the Pirates.
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