NEW YORK \u2014 Two days after a comebacker broke his fibula, put him on the 15-day injured list and derailed his sensational season, Clay Holmes moved around the New York Mets clubhouse Sunday morning with the help of a scooter.<\/p>\n
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that he anticipates Holmes returning to the mound this season. Exactly when that could happen remains unclear.<\/p>\n
Holmes has a 2.39 ERA and leads the Mets in innings pitched. New York went 5-4 in his starts. From a personal standpoint, Holmes said, he felt like he was in a great spot. From a team perspective, it pains him to not be able to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s tough,\u201d Holmes said.<\/p>\n
Holmes holds a player option worth $12 million for next season. Even if he doesn\u2019t return in 2026, it still makes the most sense for him to enter the offseason as a free agent. Considering Holmes\u2019 reputation and body of work, he should have no problem securing a richer deal in free agency.<\/p>\n
Also, pitching is always at a premium. Teams generally pay for it. And this offseason, a potential lockout may create a condensed window for decisions.<\/p>\n
This offseason gives Holmes a shot at securing a multi-year deal ahead of his age-34 season. For a handful of reasons, opting out seems like a relatively easy call.<\/p>\n
A more compelling decision is whether the Mets issue Holmes a qualifying offer (the value is not yet known; last year it was worth approximately $22 million). There\u2019s a distinct chance Holmes would reject it, anyway. In that scenario, the Mets would then get a draft pick after the fourth round if he signed elsewhere.<\/p>\n
That would at least be better than nothing. The double-whammy of losing Holmes was that, in addition to his steady presence in the rotation, he represented a valuable trade asset for the deadline if the Mets\u2019 season failed to turn around. Holmes would return ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline only in a best-case scenario.<\/p>\n
The healing process generally requires around six weeks. Holmes would then need a ramp-up period of approximately the same time.<\/p>\n
Surgery is not necessary. But Holmes said that \u201cnothing was off the table,\u201d and he was still gathering information. Surgery may not change the healing process, but adding a plate to stabilize the tibia could actually speed up a return to play. Rushing a return, however, may be unwise.<\/p>\n
\u201cA decision hasn\u2019t been fully decided, but I don\u2019t think that\u2019s going to be the case,\u201d Holmes said regarding surgery. \u201cIt\u2019s more so covering all your bases than seeing something that\u2019s needed.\u201d<\/p>\n