The Orioles are staring at a rotation need they can’t ignore, and Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly thinks the answer could come from a familiar name with a starter’s new life.
Kelly projects Baltimore to sign Clay Holmes to a two-year, $48 million deal that includes a $20 million club option for 2029. He sees Holmes as the kind of external addition the Orioles need if Trevor Rogers leaves in free agency, especially with the club still trying to replace the ace presence it has lacked since Corbin Burnes’ lone season in Baltimore ended with a fifth-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting two years ago.
“Trevor Rogers has an uncertain future in Baltimore. Even if there are things to like about Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish, and Brandon Young, the O's need to make at least one external addition to their rotation this offseason. [Clay] Holmes would be a good place to start,” Kelly wrote.
Holmes’ path makes him an intriguing fit. He began as a New York Yankees reliever before becoming a starting pitcher after joining the New York Mets, and Kelly noted that he was traded from the Mets to the Chicago Cubs while on the injured list with a fractured right fibula. Once in Chicago, Holmes put up a 4.25 ERA in nine starts and did not pitch in the Wild Card Series.
The two-time All-Star has also been one of the sport’s best ground-ball pitchers, producing a 60.5% grounder rate in 2026. Kelly compared the idea to what the Kansas City Royals did with Seth Lugo, writing, “Holmes isn’t quite as accomplished as Seth Lugo was when the Kansas City Royals gave him a two-year, $46 million extension with a $17 million club option for a third season. But there are definitely some similarities, as both were long-time relievers who became effective starters,”
For an Orioles team that needs at least one starter this offseason, Holmes would check a lot of boxes.
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