Mets right-hander Clay Holmes made his first Minor League rehab start on Thursday as he works his way back from a fractured right fibula he suffered when he was hit by a comebacker on May 15.
Holmes, who took the mound for Triple-A Syracuse against Scranton-Wilkes Barre, was one of the Mets’ best starting pitchers prior to the injury, posting a 2.39 ERA over nine starts (52 2/3 innings).
Here’s what you need to know:
How did Holmes perform?
Holmes gave up two runs on three hits, walked two batters and struck out two over 2 1/3 innings against the RailRiders. He threw 51 pitches, 28 of which were strikes.
What’s next?
Mets interim manager Andy Green said on Wednesday that while there was no set number of rehab appearances targeted for Holmes, he would likely need at least one more after Thursday’s outing.
What are they saying?
Green said that if Holmes felt good after Thursday’s start for Syracuse, his rehab stint could be on the shorter side -- as in, two starts.
“Most likely depends on how he comes through it," Green said of Thursday’s outing. "But I think that's probably a fair guess."
What else?
With the Mets seen as likely sellers as the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline approaches, Holmes could be a candidate to be dealt. The 33-year-old right-hander can opt out of his contract after this season, and after a pair of campaigns in which he has impressed as a starter upon being converted from a reliever when he signed with the Mets, that is certainly a strong possibility.
Still, Holmes has little time to prove to potential suitors that he’s ready to resume his success on the mound in the Majors as he continues his rehab assignment with 10 days to go before the Deadline, and he has indicated that he would be open to signing a contract extension to stay in Queens.