New York Yankees: Time to worry about Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes was one of the great stories in baseball for the first part of the year. He had gone from being a mediocre reliever with the Pirates to one of the best relievers in the game with the New York Yankees, moving from middle relief into their closer role as Aroldis Chapman’s struggles and injuries necessitated a move.

It all added up to an All Star caliber first half for Holmes. He had a 1.31 ERA and a 0.871 WHiP in his 41.1 innings in the first half, striking out 44 batters with just nine walks. There was no question that he was a key part of the Yankees’ impressive start to the season.

Clay Holmes fading when New York Yankees need him most

That has not been the case thus far in the second half. Holmes has allowed seven runs on seven hits and seven walks in his 7.2 innings since the All Star Break. His outing on Friday, when he allowed a run on a hit and two walks while recording just one out, was his third consecutive blown save.

Holmes’ struggles have corresponded with the Yankees’ recent issues as well. After their incredible start to the season, the Yankees have posted a 15-23 record since the end of June, their aura of invincibility having been shattered. The potential concerns at the start of the year, with a lack of depth and plenty of question marks in the bullpen, are starting to rear their heads.

A part of that comes back to Holmes. It is true that most closers go through a rough stretch, especially when it is their first time in such a role. Chapman himself typically has a time where he is almost unusable every year before turning things around. It is not a surprise that Holmes is going through the same thing now.

At this time, the Yankees may need to give him a bit of a mental break. Have Holmes take a couple of days off, pitch in some low leverage spots, and rediscover his form. Then, he can head back to the ninth inning, hopefully returning to the form he had displayed previously since heading to New York.

Clay Holmes has been a disaster since the All Star Break. The New York Yankees need him to return to form to recapture their mojo from earlier.