Criticized relief pitcher to be re-signed by the New York Yankees in the offseason
Although the right-hander for the New York Yankees has occasionally struggled, his metrics indicate that they should keep him in the lineup come free agency.
Juan Soto is going to be the biggest free agent in Major League Baseball this summer. Almost all teams with financial resources will be vying for the left-handed batter, and with good reason—he has consistently shown himself to be among the game’s top three hitters.
But the New York Yankees should also consider other free agents. While retaining Soto is undoubtedly the first goal, if they are going to offer him a contract for more than $500 million, they also need to ensure that the rest of the squad is competitive.
It would not make sense to give Soto a contract if the other players were not performing up to par. They must commit to the rest of the roster as well if they are going to devote themselves to him.
They have a couple of potentially really intriguing free agency choices. The Yankees have challenges because certain players, like Clay Holmes, have not performed up to par.
Holmes was named an All-Star in 2024, but has struggled at times. He owns a 2.81 ERA, 2.66 FIP, and has struck out 51 hitters in 48.0 innings. However, he’s often found himself in jams late in games, which New York fans have grown tired of.
His pending free agency could be decided by Soto re-signing. If the Yankees don’t want to pay a reliever the type of money he’s looking for and want to focus on keeping their superstar around, Holmes will likely be finding a new home.
FanSided’s Michael Brakebill does not think that will happen. In the offseason, Brakebill believes that New York will re-sign him.
“This season, he has underwhelmed, having blown a league-high nine saves thus far. Nevertheless, he has lived in New York for the past four years, so if he has a successful season and a great postseason, for example, there is no reason to believe the Yankees would not be interested in getting back together. Holmes has a two-year contract to remain in the Bronx.”
It would not be a terrible idea to keep the right-hander on staff, depending on the terms of the contract. Even while his performances have left some fans disappointed, a reliever with a 2.81 ERA does not just appear out of nowhere.
His career in New York has been successful for the most part. He has recorded four seasons in a row.
