SAN DIEGO — The Mets acquired a ground-ball reliever simply as their ground-ball reliever-turned-starter took the mound for his Wednesday afternoon outing towards the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Even when the answer to the bullpen had been there alongside, the Mets don’t see it that means.
Proper-hander Clay Holmes gave up 4 runs (two earned) in solely 3 2/3 innings in a 5-0 loss. San Diego swept the three-game sequence and uncovered practically each one of many Mets’ weaknesses within the course of.
Yu Darvish (1-3) allowed solely two hits over seven shutout innings. Mark Vientos was the one hitter within the prime half of the Mets lineup to document a success, doing so within the first inning. The following hit got here within the prime of the fifth from Ronny Mauricio, a single to proper discipline. The Mets might need been with out Juan Soto, who was sidelined with a proper foot contusion, however all week the Padres’ pitching workers has quieted the Mets’ huge 4 of Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor, Soto and Pete Alonso.
Proper-handed reliever Tyler Rogers was acquired across the begin of the sport from the San Francisco Giants, and right-hander Ryan Helsley from the St. Louis Cardinals shortly after the sport ended. Supervisor Carlos Mendoza endorsed him as a starter, and the bullpen acquisitions appear to substantiate that the Mets plan to maintain him within the rotation.
“I’m not concerned,” Mendoza stated . “He’s been good for us, and he’s going to continue to do that. It was just one start where today, obviously, he didn’t have it. It felt like the sinker was missing arm-side.”
The crew has not mentioned a possible transfer to the bullpen with Holmes.
“I truly believe that he’s going to continue to help us,” Mendoza stated. “There’s a lot to like there. It’s one start. He’s going to be a big part of this team, he’s going to continue to get the ball and, yeah, we’re counting on him.”
For Rogers, the Mets despatched right-handed reliever Jose Butto again within the deal, in addition to right-handed Triple-A starter Blade Tidwell and Triple-A outfielder Drew Gilbert. The timing of the commerce was extraordinarily Mets-like, contemplating Holmes loaded the bases within the first inning.
Holmes obtained the primary two outs within the second inning however loaded the bases as soon as once more. Manny Machado hit a two-run single to place the Mets in a 2-0 gap.
With two outs within the third, Lindor’s throw to first base was too brief to make the out, permitting former Mets infielder Jose Iglesias to succeed in safely on the error. Gavin Sheets then took Holmes deep to right-center discipline, doubling the San Diego lead.
“In the second, third and fourth innings, I had two outs with nobody on, and they were able to put together some pressure there and score some runs,” Holmes stated. “The frustrating part is, you know, I was able to get some, some early outs, but they were able to get a few singles.. Any time you have two outs in an inning and can’t finish, it’s frustrating.”
Holmes gave up back-to-back singles earlier than getting out of the inning. Reed Garrett was warming up within the bullpen however the Mets wanted at the very least slightly size from Holmes. Once more, Holmes retired the primary two hitters of the inning, however gave up a single to Xander Bogaerts and hit Jake Cronenworth. That was it for Holmes (9-6), who was lifted after two earned runs on eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
He threw 79 pitches, fewer than what the Mets normally let him throw, however far too many in 3 2/3 innings. The Mets don’t like answering questions on a possible bullpen transfer for Holmes. A number of of his more moderen ones have been good, with a win to begin the six-game journey in San Francisco on Friday night time.
Nonetheless, he hasn’t had a high quality begin in practically two months (June 7 in Colorado), and he hasn’t pitched greater than 5 1/3 innings in that very same time span. It’s essential the Mets get size out of their starters in August and September, and the one one the crew can at present rely on for that’s left-hander David Peterson.
Holmes is assured he may give the Mets what they want in a playoff race.
“I feel good. I think there’s still some good in it,” Holmes stated. “Obviously, I’m not pitching to what I’m capable of, I feel like. But the stuff, I feel like, is there. I’m still recovering well, I think it’s just really making some pitches when I need to. I still think I’m very capable of pitching deeper in games and helping this team as a starter.”
Nevertheless, all the beginning workers may benefit from extra offensive manufacturing. The Padres (60-49) outscored the Mets 19-7 this week. The offense continues to sputter, with run manufacturing inconsistent at finest.
The commerce deadline is ready for six p.m. ET on Thursday. So much can occur within the subsequent 24 hours, and if the Mets have to know what to repair, they solely have to refer again to this sequence to search out out.
Initially Revealed: July 30, 2025 at 6:38 PM EDT
