Clay Holmes (fibula) expected to make rehab start

Holmes’ velocity was pretty close to normal in his first start back from a fractured fibula, but he walked two and gave up five hard-hit balls to Yankees prospects while throwing 51 pitches and getting seven outs. He’ll almost definitely make at least one more rehab start. Whether he’ll still be a Met when he’s ready to return in early August is currently up in the air.

Mets manager Andy Green said that Holmes will likely need one more start after that. With recent reports that the Mets are likely to try to trade Holmes before the deadline, this timeline means that he may not be able to start in a Mets uniform before August third. Still, the Mets could entice a team to trade for Holmes if the veteran looks healthy and effective in his next two rehab starts, knowing that he would be able to be activated right after the deadline.

Holmes was having a great season, with a 2.39 ERA over his first nine starts before fracturing his fibula on May 15. He threw 45 pitches in a live batting practice session over the weekend and should make a rehab start with an affiliate this week. The Mets are hopeful that Holmes could quickly make a return to the big league mound because they do seem intent on trading him this year. Holmes has a $12 million player option next season, which he will likely decline if he’s healthy, so this could be a rental situation for whoever acquires him.

Holmes was originally slated to make a minor league rehab start for High-A Brooklyn, but that has been scrapped due to the high possibility of rain in the forecast. The 33-year-old impending free agent has drawn some interest as a potential trade candidate, unless the Mets opt to extend him, while working his way back from a fractured fibula that put him on the shelf back in mid-May.

Holmes has been out since fracturing his fibula back in mid-May when he was struck by a comebacker. The 33-year-old was originally expected to miss three months, so it looks like he’s on track with that estimate, which puts him back in New York’s rotation by early August.

Holmes fractured his fibula on May 15th when he was hit by a comebacker. The original timeline was that he would miss three months, and that appears to be holding. If Holmes begins throwing in July, he could conceivably return to the Mets in the early part of August.

Severino has posted a 1.04 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 18/8 K/BB ratio in 17 1/3 innings at Triple-A this season for the Mets. Rather than lose him to another team, the Mets decided to add him to the 40-man roster and then send him back to Triple-A. To free up space on the 40-man roster, the Mets transferred Clay Holmes to the 60-day IL.

The good news is, it appears Holmes will not need to undergo season-ending surgery. The bad news is that Mets manager Carlos Mendoza believes that Holmes is going to miss around three months with the fracture. The right-hander was one of the few bright spots with a 2.39 ERA over his 52 2/3 innings, but it now seems unlikely he’ll be back in the Mets rotation until the middle of August — at the earliest.

Holmes suffered a broken leg when he was nailed by a 111-mph line drive from Yankees rookie Spencer Jones during the fourth inning of Friday’s start at Citi Field. Amazingly, he faced seven additional batters prior to exiting the contest when X-rays revealed the fracture in his leg. The unfortunate development is the latest crushing blow to New York’s rotation, and a significant hit for fantasy rotations, since he posted a sparkling 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 45/18 K/BB ratio across 52 2/3 innings over nine starts to open the year. He’s facing a lengthy absence and figures to miss at least a couple months. There should be a definitive timetable from the Mets at some point soon. Jack Wenninger, Jonah Tong and Tobias Myers are the logical candidates to take his rotation spot. Wenninger, who has posted a 1.08 ERA and 38/18 K/BB ratio over 33 1/3 innings at Triple-A Syracuse this season, and Tong would be the most intriguing fantasy-wise given their strikeout upside.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the game that Holmes will be out “for a long time.” It’s another massive blow to New York’s rotation as Holmes had been exceptional so far this season with a 2.39 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 45/18 K/BB ratio across 52 2/3 innings across nine starts. He’ll hit the injured list this weekend and could wind up missing the rest of the year given the severity of the injury.