New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes delivered 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in Anaheim. The win marked Holmes' fourth of the season, leading all Mets starters. Mark Vientos hit two home runs to support the pitching effort.
In Anaheim, Clay Holmes solidified his status as a top starter for the Mets, lowering his ERA to 1.69, second in the National League behind only Justin Wrobleski of the Dodgers. Holmes, acquired in a January trade, relied on his sinker to generate a 58.1 percent ground-ball rate, third-best in the majors. He allowed four hits, one run, six strikeouts, and three walks over 6 2/3 innings. This performance ties him for the most quality starts among Mets pitchers, with two outings reaching seven innings this season. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns had previously called Freddy Peralta, another trade acquisition, “one of the top starters in baseball.” Yet Holmes has outperformed expectations from his 2025 season as a mid-rotation option. The game stayed close until Mark Vientos' two-run homer in the fourth gave New York the lead. Vientos added another homer in the eighth to make it 5-1. A throwing error by Angels' Bo Bichette allowed Oswaldo Peraza to reach in the seventh, ending Holmes' outing early. Luke Weaver then struck out the next batter to protect the lead.
