The Red Sox may not be done after landing Adley Rutschman.
Boston already made what looks like its biggest swing of the deadline by trading with the Baltimore Orioles for the three-time All-Star, but the clock is still ticking, and the front office has a little under four hours left to keep adding to the roster. With slugging infield help already in hand through Rutschman and Curtis Mead once he returns from his wrist fracture, the remaining question is whether the Red Sox want to shore up the back end of the rotation or add another lefty arm.
If they go the pitching route, New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes has surfaced as a name to watch. The Mets are in a rough place, sitting at 47-66 and last in the NL East, so just about anyone on that roster can be had. According to Red Sox insider Ari Alexander, Boston is among the teams with interest in Holmes.
That fit makes sense on paper. The Red Sox want a depth starter, and they have reasons to be careful with their current rotation even if it has been one of the best in the majors.
Injuries can always hit, and two of their best starters, Jake Bennett and Payton Tolle, are rookies who have never been through a full MLB season. By the time October rolls around, there’s a real chance their workloads need to be managed.
Holmes would give them that cushion. He’s a veteran All-Star and he’s put together a solid year, even in a limited starting role.
In nine starts, he has gone 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA, 45 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.101 across 52 innings pitched. For Boston, that kind of profile would be useful as a bridge arm, someone who can take a turn and give the younger starters a breather.
He also profiles more as a short-term fix than a permanent piece. Garrett Crochet is on the mend and could be back by September, which would tighten the rotation picture again and leave less room for Holmes. That matters because Holmes is making $12 million this season and has a player option for next season at $13 million.
If Boston can land him as a rental, the logic is simple: protect the rotation that has been one of the club’s biggest strengths and keep it as sharp as possible down the stretch.
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