The New York Mets' postseason chances are near zero, and they could be the most active seller at this year's trade deadline.
They have plenty of rental arms teams could be interested in, including Clay Holmes. The Mets signed him to be a starter after he found success as a reliever with the New York Yankees. In his first year as a starter, he had a 3.53 ERA. This year, he had a 2.39 ERA through nine starts before landing on the injured list. He fractured his fibula after taking a combacker off the leg.
"At this point, an extension between right-hander Clay Holmes and the New York Mets ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline appears unlikely, multiple major-league sources say," MLB insider Robert Murray wrote on Thursday. "Things can change with one phone call, especially at this time of the year, so nothing can be totally ruled out. But Holmes is expected to draw significant trade interest in the coming days as he’s getting closer to returning from a fractured fibula that’s sidelined him since mid-May."
Holmes is expected to make his first rehab start on Thursday, and many teams will have scouts there to watch him. He has a $12 million option for next season, and considering how well he has performed as a starter, he could be interested in testing the open market.
The Mets would be wise to deal him for prospects in a lost season. He gets a ton of ground balls, and he could thrive on a team with an elite infield. The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs would both make sense as landing spots for him.
