Adjustments and refinements are the name of the game in baseball. In order to be successful in it, one has to constantly improve. And to constantly improve, one has to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and how to leverage them during the heat of the game. Clay Holmes recently offered us a glimpse into this mindset, as he shared how he deep dives into the nuances and intricacies of his own pitches. The Mets star shared his learnings in his pursuit of peak performance heading into the 2025 MLB season.

During a recent media appearance, Holmes showed that he is a student of the game as he talked about his learning process. He revealed that his focus was on the interplay between his four-seam fastball and his cutter. “I got some swing and miss with the cutter. I kind of see how effective that pitch can be, I think the four seams just one more wrinkle back there; you know, if I need it,” he said.

He talked about the need to study his films in hopes of unlocking the secrets of the craft. But his major emphasis was on the ability to read the demands of the situation. “I think having the options is what’s important,” Homes said, adding, “I have some options and kind of see what’s working that day. In a perfect world you have everything, but maybe it’ll be some days where the four seems a little better and I make the lean on it.”

Carlos Mendoza also spoke about Clay Holmes’ showing in the spring training. The Mets manager pointed at the 31-year-old’s struggles with the sinker, despite the fact that he continued his run of scoreless innings. He did admit that it was part of his transition as a starter where he would have to discover a way to “Use the slider, the changeup, the cutter, the four-seam.” Despite the difficult path awaiting him, Mendoza is confident that Holmes will come out the better because of it.

Clay Holmes to be without star teammate in the early season

For the second straight season, the Mets are going to be without their starting catcher, Francisco Alvarez, for an extended period of time. Mendoza confirmed that the backstop was going to be out for at least 6–8 weeks and would miss the early season because of it. Alvarez was out last season as well for 7 weeks. It is this experience of having played without him that is giving Mendoza and Holmes the confidence that there will be young players in the team who will look to step up in his absence.

Despite expressing his optimism for the Mets’ rising stars, Holmes, however, couldn’t help but feel disappointed on Alvarez’s behalf. He spoke of Alvarez’s passion for the team and how it inspires the players. “I think how much he cares kind of bleeds over in this clubhouse, and just being here a short time, you can feel that and see that,” he said. “It’s definitely tough news.”

While Mendoza was confident that the players in their squad would make Alvarez’s absence bearable, Mets president David Stearns did not rule out the idea of bringing someone from outside if needed. However, he did admit that the team did not anticipate his absence lasting very long. Alvarez is out with a hamate bone fracture on his left hand. He suffered the fracture on a swing during batting practice and will now miss the early season. Seeing who fills in for him will be intriguing, whether it is someone from the team or outside.