Clay Holmes The Yankees are the best team in baseball right now. That is due in large part to the elite pitching of closer Clay Holmes. With 29 scoreless appearances, Holmes just broke the record set by Yankee legend Mariano Rivera.
Clay Holmes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round of the 2011 draft, out of Slocomb High School in Slocomb, Alabama. It took him seven years to reach the majors with the Pirates, in 2018. He was traded to the Yankees in 2021, just before the trade deadline, in exchange for two minor-league infielders.
Throughout his time in the minors, and even in the majors, Holmes’ go-to pitch has been the sinker. This pitch has produced many swings and misses, as well as ground balls. It has been a big part of his pitching this year, and a major contributing factor to the historic season he is putting on. He started to throw his sinker at a very young age, and it stuck with him. However, he never really started to look into the physics of the pitch until he was traded to the Yankees.
If Holmes can continue this dominant pitching for the rest of his career, he will definitely become the best closer in history and has a great chance at making the Hall of Fame.
Clay Holmes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the ninth round of the 2011 draft, out of Slocomb High School in Slocomb, Alabama. It took him seven years to reach the majors with the Pirates, in 2018. He was traded to the Yankees in 2021, just before the trade deadline, in exchange for two minor-league infielders.
Throughout his time in the minors, and even in the majors, Holmes’ go-to pitch has been the sinker. This pitch has produced many swings and misses, as well as ground balls. It has been a big part of his pitching this year, and a major contributing factor to the historic season he is putting on. He started to throw his sinker at a very young age, and it stuck with him. However, he never really started to look into the physics of the pitch until he was traded to the Yankees.
If Holmes can continue this dominant pitching for the rest of his career, he will definitely become the best closer in history and has a great chance at making the Hall of Fame.
