New York Mets right-handed reliever Clay Holmes left Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves early with pain in his right leg. The team confirmed Monday it was a fracture to his fibula, the smaller bone running alongside the shin. Holmes, who’s been the Mets’ most reliable reliever this season, told reporters Tuesday he’s feeling better but the team’s medical staff hasn’t cleared him to resume throwing yet.

Holmes said surgery isn’t the likely next step, but he won’t completely rule it out either. “Right now, it’s not looking like we’ll go that route,” he told the media. “But if things change, we’ll reassess.” The Mets have already called up Adrian Houser from Triple-A to take Holmes’ spot on the roster. Houser, a 31-year-old righty, posted a 4.50 ERA in 12 appearances with the Mets this year before being sent down.

What happens next for Holmes

The Mets expect Holmes to miss at least a few weeks, though they haven’t set a firm return timeline. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the team will take it slow with Holmes’ rehab to avoid any setbacks. “He’s progressing well,” Mendoza told reporters Tuesday. “We’re not in any rush. We just want to make sure he’s 100% when he comes back.”

Holmes, 28, has been New York’s most consistent reliever this season. He owns a 2.70 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 33 appearances, with 38 strikeouts in 33.1 innings. Before the injury, he’d been the Mets’ primary setup man behind closer Edwin Díaz, who’s also on the injured list with a torn UCL. The bullpen has struggled without both arms, posting a 5.40 ERA over their last 10 games.

Mets’ bullpen crisis deepens

The team already lost closer Edwin Díaz to Tommy John surgery in late May. They’ve tried to fill the void with a mix of Houser, Drew Smith, and Phil Maton, but none have consistently delivered. The bullpen’s struggles have cost the Mets several late leads this month, including a heartbreaking loss to the Braves Sunday where they blew a 5-1 lead in the eighth inning.

With Holmes likely out, the Mets will need to rely on a committee of relievers to bridge gaps until he and Díaz return. Mendoza has already started using Houser in high-leverage spots, but the team may look to promote another arm from the minors if the struggles continue. Brooklyn reliever Paul Gervais has been dominant in Double-A with a 1.59 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Long-term impact on the Mets

The Mets entered the season with high expectations after their surprising 2023 run to the World Series. But injuries to key bullpen arms have derailed their playoff hopes. Díaz and Holmes were supposed to anchor a strong relief corps, but now the team is scrambling to find reliable options. The injury to Holmes comes as the Mets sit 10 games back in the NL Wild Card race with 50 games left.

General manager Billy Eppler has already made several trades to bolster the roster, including acquiring JD Davis from the Giants. But the bullpen remains the team’s biggest weakness. If Holmes misses significant time, the Mets may need to look at other trade options before the July 30 deadline to address their relief crisis.

The good news is that fibula fractures usually heal well without surgery, especially in younger athletes. Holmes has already shown progress in his rehab, but the Mets won’t rush him back. For now, the team is focused on getting him healthy and figuring out how to survive without two of their best relievers.

What’s clear is that the Mets can’t afford another bullpen meltdown if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. Every game counts now, and they’ll need more than just Houser to step up in high-pressure situations.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: ESPN
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 19:24 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #espn · #sports · #nfl · #mets · #holmes · #surgery

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O arremessador Clay Holmes, do New York Mets, enfrenta um novo revés em sua temporada após fraturar a fíbula direita, mas ainda mantém esperanças de evitar o bisturi. O atleta confirmou que a cirurgia não está descartada, embora seja cada vez menos provável, o que acende um sinal amarelo não só para a franquia nova-iorquina, mas também para os torcedores brasileiros que acompanham o esporte norte-americano.

A lesão de Holmes ocorre em um momento crucial da temporada dos Mets, time que tem sido alvo de atenção no Brasil devido ao desempenho de estrelas como Pete Alonso e Francisco Lindor. Para o Brasil, onde o beisebol ainda engatinha em popularidade, a ausência de um arremessador importante como Holmes pode não ter impacto direto, mas serve como lembrete da fragilidade física dos atletas e da imprevisibilidade do esporte. Além disso, a notícia reforça a importância de acompanhar as equipes da MLB, que cada vez mais contam com jogadores de origem latina e brasileira, como Thiago Lopes, recém-promovido ao elenco dos Mets.

Ainda resta saber quanto tempo Holmes ficará afastado dos gramados, mas uma coisa é certa: o caso reforça a necessidade de os times da MLB gerenciarem com cautela o calendário de seus arremessadores, especialmente em meio a uma temporada repleta de jogos decisivos.