Clay Holmes is finding his rhythm with the sinker just when the New York Yankees need him the most. Just over a month after losing his role as the closer, Holmes has given up only two runs over his last 14 appearances. His impressive five-inning scoreless performance was vital in helping the Yankees move past the Kansas City Royals and secure a spot in the American League Championship Series.
Throughout the regular season, Holmes recorded a 3.14 ERA with a record of 3-5 and saved 30 games across 67 appearances. However, he led the league with 13 blown saves, which led to his removal from the closer position after giving up a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on September 3. Holmes also had rough outings, including two more blown saves on September 11 and 18 against Kansas City and Seattle, respectively. Nevertheless, he managed to deliver eight additional scoreless outings that were crucial for the Yankees’ home-field advantage in the AL playoffs.
“Honestly, my confidence, my identity, and my abilities aren’t solely tied to a title,” Holmes stated during a video call as the team prepared for the ALCS. The Yankees had a narrow victory over the Royals, outscoring them 14-12 in the AL Division Series, and their bullpen posted an impressive 15 and 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. This performance marks the third-best record in postseason history for a team’s relievers, following the Minnesota Twins’ 18 and 1/3 innings in the 1991 ALCS against Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 17 innings against the Cubs during the 2017 NLCS.
Holmes expressed his enjoyment for the camaraderie among the relievers: “We have a great group, we’re a close team, and we all support each other. Witnessing our success is wonderful. I believe this reflects our potential, and we definitely know what we’re capable of.” During the ALDS, Holmes appeared in all games of a series where each match was decided by two or fewer runs, notching the victory in Game 1. In Game 3, he relieved Clarke Schmidt, successfully stranding two runners and producing 1 and 1/3 innings of scoreless pitching. In the decisive Game 4, he delivered a clean eighth inning before fellow pitcher Luke Weaver locked down the series with a save.
Manager Aaron Boone praised Holmes, saying, “Even during his rough patches, I always believed in his incredible talent, and he’s proving that now.” In the regular season, Holmes utilized his sinker 56.3% of the time, down from 69.5% in 2023. However, he ramped that usage to 67.1% in the final month, yielding a mere .200 batting average against it. In his outing against Kansas City, 41 of his 58 pitches were sinkers, and he credited his recent success to an improved grip on the ball. “When I’m performing at my top level, my sinker is consistently effective. I made a focus to increase its use, as I knew I had to return to that approach,” Holmes explained.
As for the Yankees’ Game 1 starter, Boone indicated that a decision would be made on Sunday but confirmed that rookie Luis Gil would not take the mound. Carlos Rodón is a candidate, as he would have commenced Game 5 of the ALDS, while Gerrit Cole is expected to pitch in Game 2. Gil, who has not pitched in the ALDS, will throw in a simulated game on Sunday. After recovering from Tommy John surgery last season, Gil posted a solid 15-7 record with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts.
The availability of first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the ALCS is still uncertain, two weeks after he fractured two fingers on his right hand due to a pitch hitting him during a game against Pittsburgh. Boone mentioned that Rizzo is making progress primarily through treatment, with limited baseball activities. The Yankees plan to announce Rizzo’s status just prior to submitting their roster on Monday. During the ALDS, utility players Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti shared responsibilities at first base, combining for 27 putouts, and Berti assisted in executing a crucial double play during Game 4. “I certainly appreciated the contributions from Cabby and Berti during that series. They played integral roles for us,” Boone noted.