The New York Mets are expected to be sellers at this year's trade deadline, and, surprisingly, the Chicago White Sox could be a buyer interested in one of their players.
"The Chicago White Sox sent Nick Hostelter, their special assistant, to keep taps on Mets starter Clay Holmes, who has begun his rehab assignment after breaking his right fibula on May 15," MLB insider Bob Nightengale noted on Sunday.
Holmes found great success as a reliever for the New York Yankees before eventually signing a three-year, $38 million deal with the New York Mets before the 2025 season. He made 33 appearances, 31 of which were starts, and posted a 3.53 ERA. He had a 2.39 ERA through nine starts this season before he landed on the injured list with a fractured fibula after taking a 111.1 mph comebacker off the leg.
How Holmes performs in his rehab assignment will be important in determining what the Mets can get for him. He has a $12 million player option next season, and the Mets may view him as one of their more valuable trade chips. His arm is relatively fresh, since he spent time on the injured list. He has postseason experience and looked good as a starter for the Mets.
Many teams will be looking for starting pitching at the deadline, and Holmes is an affordable rental who could end up sticking around for another year. He had 45 strikeouts in his nine starts this season and could give any contending rotation a nice boost. Although he is stretched out as a starter, he is a two-time All-Star as a reliever, and teams could look to use him in that role as well. He has had plenty of success in leverage spots out of the bullpen.