The New York Mets have been busy this offseason. They brought back slugger Pete Alonso amid rumors of him signing elsewhere. Most notably, the Mets signed Juan Soto to a historic 15-year contract worth $765 million. As a result, the excitement is brewing rapidly around the Mets.
The Mets will start the season on the road with a four-game series against the Houston Astros on March 27 and recently announced who will take the mound on Opening Day.
New York Mets Name Opening Day Starter
Over the past few weeks, the debate has continued about who will take the mound for the Mets on Opening Day. Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are dealing with injuries to start the season, meaning it will likely be Clay Holmes or Kodai Senga.
On Friday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Holmes would take the bump to begin the year in the opener.
“Clay Holmes,” Mendoza replied when asked who the Opening Day starter is. “He earned it. We like what we’re seeing. I know it’s a small sample size, but it’s very encouraging.”
“He really put himself in a really good position,” Mendoza continued. “We’re comfortable with him going on Opening Day.”
Carlos Mendoza announces that Clay Holmes will be the Mets' Opening Day starter:
"He earned it. We like what we're seeing." pic.twitter.com/2FDfGUx8uJ
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 14, 2025
Mendoza said Holmes was ahead of everyone when camp started, and now he is rewarded with the Opening Day nod. Senga will likely go on Friday or Saturday, although it isn’t set in stone after Holmes.
Clay Holmes Begins Mets Tenure
Speaking of former New York Yankees who joined the Mets (Soto, for example), Holmes is another.
The right-hander spent the past four seasons with the Yankees, compiling a 19-15 record with a 3.71 ERA while making the American League All-Star team in 2022 and 2024. However, Holmes was primarily a reliever during his MLB run and had 74 saves during the last three seasons.
Holmes began his MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the Yankees in the 2021 season, and now he will be a key part of the Mets rotation.
The Mets signed Holmes to a three-year deal worth $38 million this offseason, so it’s no surprise they feel strongly about him entering the 2025 campaign.
It will be interesting to see how Holmes does as a starting pitcher, especially since he has failed to throw for more than 70 innings in a single major league season.
Nonetheless, Mendoza feels good about Holmes entering the 2025 campaign, and his reward is taking the mound on Opening Day against a tough Astros team.