The White Sox are moving like a club that plans to buy at the deadline, and starting pitching sits near the top of the shopping list. At 52-46, Chicago is in position to make a push in a wide-open American League, and the AL Central race gives them a real path to the division and a first-round bye.
One name now tied to that search is Mets right-hander Clay Holmes. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the White Sox sent Nick Hostelter, their special assistant, to monitor Holmes as he works through a rehab assignment after breaking his right fibula on May 15.
That kind of scouting move usually says plenty. Holmes has been out for months, but when he was healthy, he was giving New York exactly the kind of production contenders chase in July.
In nine starts for the Mets, the 33-year-old posted a 2.39 ERA with a 4-4 record, 45 strikeouts and 1.9 bWAR across 52.2 innings. His 3.22 FIP suggests some regression could be lurking, but the overall body of work still points to a pitcher performing at a high level before the injury.
Holmes is also a tricky case because of the contract situation. He’s set to reach free agency after the 2026 season if he turns down his player option, and that makes him a possible fit for a team willing to gamble on upside.
There’s even a recent example that mirrors the kind of move Chicago could be considering. The Toronto Blue Jays dealt for an injured Shane Bieber, who later opted into his player option after a postseason run. The White Sox could be hoping for something similar with Holmes.
Even if he ends up being more of a short-term rental, Holmes could still be attractive. An injury like this tends to thin the market, and that could leave the White Sox with a chance to land a quality starter at a reduced price if other clubs decide to look elsewhere.
It’s a risky play, but it may also be the kind of calculated risk Chicago can afford if Hostelter and the front office like what they see as Holmes’ rehab starts get underway.
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Minter also acknowledged the reality that comes with pitching well on a team that may need to reshuffle its roster, and he said his focus is on continuing to do his job in a way that helps the Mets bring back talent in return. Even with the uncertainty hanging over him, he pointed to the bullpens no-ego camaraderie as one of the few steady things in a season that has not offered many of them. [Read more 🡒]