![]() The key lies in whether or not Holmes can keep things simple. ZiPS appears to put more stock in his shaky second half, particularly the lack of command that caused it. As good as the Yankees ‘pen is, they can work this way without sacrificing much.ĭespite his first half dominance, the projections don’t seem to love the chances of a repeat from Holmes in 2023. Rather, he plans to use him whenever it might be necessary, likely meaning a game’s highest leverage spots. Aaron Boone recently said that Holmes’ role was not the set-in-stone closer. And with as good as he was (when right) last season, it’s not undeserved. He rebounded in September and the postseason, but wasn’t quite as automatic.Īs we look forward, Holmes likely still stands as the top dog in the Yanks’ bullpen. In the second half, he stuck out fewer hitters, walked more than twice as many, and his FIP more than doubled, albeit in a shorter stint. He spent some time on the IL, and just wasn’t the same pitcher. Holmes lost the ability to locate his two-pitch mix, while his mechanics got out of whack as the season progressed (mostly his release point, which Esteban detailed in September). The second half, however, was not as electric. He was selected as an All-Star, an honor he fully deserved. As a result, his first half was incredible: he posted a 1.31/2.00 ERA/FIP with a whopping 82.7 percent groundball rate. He was using that nightmarish sinker to get groundballs, and his slider to induce whiffs, working each to their respective side of the plate and executing it perfectly. I wrote in April about the simplification of his pitch mix, sticking exclusively with his sinker and slider, and how effective he was in the process. He was acquired without a lotont of expectations, but became a stud with the flip of a switch. ![]() Much of the 2022 season (and his brief stint in ‘21) was a revelation for Holmes and the Yankees. The big righty was acquired in a mid-season deal with the Pirates the year prior, and immediately became a different guy in his 28 pinstripe-laden innings. This was the case entering last season as well, and for significant parts of the year, Clay Holmes was their primary weapon out of the ‘pen. ![]() As has frequently been the case in recent years, the Yankees project to have one of the best bullpens in baseball in 2023.
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