Pirates right-hander Clay Holmes is set to begin the season on the injured list after suffering a fracture in his right foot on Saturday. The reliever was struck by a line drive in yesterday’s game, and manager Derek Shelton told The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel (Twitter link) and other reporters that Holmes will be in a walking boot for the next four to six weeks. Considering the rehab time and how long it could take Holmes to ramp up after missing so much of Spring Training, it doesn’t seem likely that Holmes will suit up for the Pirates’ big league squad until mid-April at the earliest.
Over 50 innings out of Pittsburgh’s bullpen last season, Holmes posted a 5.58 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 60.3 % grounder rate, and 6.5 BB/9. Control has been Holmes’ biggest issue both in his brief Major League career (59 walks over his 76 1/3 frames with the Pirates) and even in the minors, as he posted pretty average walk rates at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels. On the plus side, Holmes misses a good number of bats and does an outstanding job at keeping the ball on the ground, with over a 60% grounder rate throughout his minor league career. 2019 was his first full season as a relief pitcher, so there could still be some untapped upside as Holmes completely adjusts to his new role.
Holmes was one of several arms competing for a job in Pittsburgh’s 2020 bullpen, and faced a bit more pressure considering he is out of minor league options. Going on the IL won’t impact his roster status, and it could even provide a clearer route to regaining a bullpen spot — if another reliever is struggling around the time Holmes is set to return, the Pirates will have a fairly easy decision.
Dang not a good way to kick off ST.
1 step forward 2 steps back..
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring!
The Pirates have all the luck so far. The bad luck :(
When I wake up, I plug in the grill, I go back to sleep again. Then I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. It is delicious, it’s good for me. It’s the perfect way to start the day. Today I got up, I stepped onto the foreman grill and it clamped down on my foot.
No, the gas station in Carbondale did not have fresh yams!
Toby Flenderson is everything that is wrong with the paper business.
The jokes on you, Goldenface. That man was a wanted animal rapist.
That really sucks. Really has potential to be one of the team’s better relief pitchers. Hopefully this doesn’t set him back too much.
My last name is Holmes and I fractured my right big toe in March of last year… odd
Shouldn’t have been hanging out at the elementary school.
Excuse me? I broke it running to grab a pen for my fantasy draft thank you very much. Lol
Lol. The “elementary” was a bit of a stretch. My bad
The Curse of Tyler Glasnow will give him a dozen more chances, but…so far, he’s not been good.
I am not so sure that they should not use Holmes as a starter.
Some of these guys prefer one over the other and he is a big strong guy.
It was tough for him last year learning to relieve on the run like that.
He is one of the many young Pirate pitchers who has not lived up to expectations.
It won’t be long until guys down at AA and A level are up here throwing for the Pirates.
Unfortunately,Cherington clearly did not learn from NH’s mistake of last year when he had absolutely no pitching depth and those who he brought up during the year were not even good AAA pitchers.
Or is Ben planning to lose?
What can the Pirates do aside from losing?
They can at least try to win.
Last year they did not survive the luck that they have previously had with relatively few injuries.
John Ryan Murphy and Luke Maille just do not cut it especially with giving Marte away.
Pirate fans deserve more.
The Cuban interview really was the end all. He made it clear why Nutting won’t ever sell, but is making outrageous profit as the team tanks.
While most owners would wish to exorcise the memory of the disaster of ‘19–the losing, the clubhouse fight, the Vasquez incident—its appalling that apparently, the remedy was to fire underlings and replace with similar individuals.
I just cannot conceive of what the game plan must be for the next 2-4 years. You will not spend on free agents, and have literally nothing in the minors when it comes to outfielders, pitchers and catchers, other than 18 or 19 year old prospects
Just what are the expectations? They’ll like trade any player who has a good season or streak, but the yield won’t be high. And if a catcher, pitcher or outfielder goes down with an injury?
I hate to say it but their game plan may be just to lose like the other four teams who have recently tanked.
I never agreed with that type of plan because there is no guarantee that they will ever win.
Astros cheated! Scum bags.
Should pick up Ramiro Mendoza
Or someone whose pitched since 2005…
The staff ace goes down. What next?