Where Mets envision Clay Holmes’ role for rest of season — and how they plan to get him back on track

For seven straight starts, Clay Holmes has been unable to finish the sixth inning. His struggles to get deeper into games combined with the lack of distance from every rotation-mate besides David Peterson have put a further strain on an overworked and over-hurt Mets bullpen. David Stearns has publicly stated that the relief corps should be upgraded, which he expects to do at the trade deadline, and he has suggested that Triple-A starters could be shortened into relief help.

But could part of the Mets’ solution involve Holmes — a two-time All-Star closer whose innings are piling up in his first MLB season as a starter — converting back into either a lengthy relief option or as a setup man to Edwin Díaz?

Probably not. And even if so, not for a while.

“We see him as a starter, and we see him as a guy that can [start] in a playoff game for us,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said this week. “With the information I have right now — and we could get information as the season goes on and make a different decision based on that — but right now, we see it as: He is in a good spot.”

Holmes, whose previous career high had been the 70 innings he logged in 2021, has reached 108 ²/₃ innings before his 21st start of this season arrives Friday in San Francisco, agreed.

“I’m in a good spot,” said Holmes, who believes his recent inability to reach the later innings has been multipronged and has not surfaced because he is physically breaking down.