Mets' Clay Holmes' transforming into bona fide starting pitcher: 'He's just on another level'

It’s no longer just a crazy idea – Clay Holmes is a bona fide starting pitcher for the New York Mets . After another stellar outing against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, in which he went 6. 2 innings while allowing one run on four hits and three walks in the Mets’ 5-1 win , Holmes is now 4-2 with a 1.

69 ERA (0. 98 WHIP) through seven starts. That’s more than simply a good beginning to the season, Holmes is pitching himself into the Cy Young conversation, and it’s time people everywhere took notice.

“It’s unbelievable,” said manager Carlos Mendoza about his right-hander’s performance. “We saw it again today. That first inning was a battle after the first couple of guys get on and he’s up to like 30-something pitches, [but] before you know it he’s able to get to those middle innings.

“[He] kept making pitches and for him to go back out for the seventh, he’s just on another level right now physically, mentally. ” It’s true, Sunday’s outing didn’t start out the best for Holmes who walked the first two batters he faced as part of a 27-pitch first inning. But after giving up a run four batters into the game, Holmes turned it on and settled in nicely, not only holding the Angels scoreless the rest of the way, but keeping his pitch count low enough to go deep into the game.