Mets’ Opening Day Starter Choice Feels Like a Direct Shot at Yankees
The pitching crisis in New York has hit both teams hard. The Yankees are reeling after losing Gerrit Cole for the season, with Luis Gil sidelined for at least three months and Clarke Schmidt also injured. Meanwhile, the Mets are dealing with their own setbacks, missing Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, and several bullpen arms.
Despite their injuries, the Yankees still have some solid names in their rotation Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Marcus Stroman while the Mets are scraping the bottom of the barrel. Their second-best pitcher? A converted reliever. Yes, that Clay Holmes.
Given the circumstances, everyone assumed that ace Kodai Senga would get the Opening Day nod against the Astros. But in a move that feels almost too perfectly timed to be a coincidence, the Mets announced Holmes as their Opening Day starter just months after poaching Juan Soto from the Yankees.
The decision is eyebrow-raising, to say the least. Senga was scheduled to pitch in a spring training game on Friday, which likely ruled him out of the season opener. Holmes, meanwhile, has quietly put together a strong spring, logging more innings than Senga and most of the Mets’ rotation candidates.
Mets Seemingly Trolling Yankees with Holmes Decision
Yankees fans can’t help but feel like this is a well-orchestrated jab. First, the Mets overpaid for Holmes despite his league-leading blown saves last year. Then, they turned him into a starter, a role he hadn’t filled since his rookie season in 2018. Now, after a surprisingly strong spring, he leapfrogs into the Opening Day spotlight? If this isn’t a calculated move, it’s a wildly convenient sequence of events.
Of course, Yankees fans tend to make everything about themselves, but this one is hard to ignore. The Holmes signing was odd. His transition to the rotation was unexpected. Now, he’s the Mets’ Opening Day starter? Come on.
Meanwhile, the Yankees made their own big decision on Friday, naming Carlos Rodón as their Opening Day starter against the Brewers, with Max Fried following in Game 2. Despite their pitching woes, the Yankees’ situation is still far better than the Mets’.
So, Mets fans, enjoy the troll while you can. Because when the Astros start lighting up Holmes, that Opening Day flex might not look so clever after all.
And don’t worry this is far from over. See you at the Subway Series.
