The New York Mets’ slide continued with a 10-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday and a fifth straight defeat, but pitcher Clay Holmes took an encouraging step in his recovery. Holmes, who fractured his right fibula after being hit by a line drive, was seen
The New York Mets didn’t have to look far to feel the weight of the moment.
Wednesday’s 10-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs stretched New York’s skid to five straight games, with the team sitting at a record of 34-46 and in last place in the NL East. And yet, Thursday brought a small jolt of momentum in a place the Mets badly needed it: the bullpen.
Pitcher Clay Holmes was seen doing throwing at Citi Field ahead of the series finale against the Cubs. On SNY Mets’ X account, the team posted a video captioned: “Clay Holmes does some throwing at Citi Field.”
That session matters because Holmes’ road back has been anything but ordinary. He missed a significant amount of time after sustaining a fractured right fibula when a line drive hit him in the area. Now. with him working through throwing again. the Mets are watching a recovery progress from the sidelines—one that could eventually shift what comes next for New York’s season.
Holmes has already shown what he can be when he’s right. In 2026 with the Mets, he has posted a 2.39 ERA, collected 45 strikeouts, and gone 4-4 in nine games. Those numbers are also part of why his name has surfaced around August’s trade deadline.
On Monday, Holmes addressed the speculation directly, downplaying the rumors while focusing on the group he’s with now. “I think it’d be doing a disservice to the group I’m here with now. ” Holmes said. according to The New York Post. “These are my teammates. I care a lot about the people in this room. and that not [having] my full attention on coming back and helping this team would be a disservice to this team and these guys.”.
He added: “I want to help them out, so I’m invested in these people. I’m working as hard as I can to get back and help the people in this room out.”
The tension in all of it is obvious—New York is struggling on the scoreboard. but Holmes is rebuilding his availability at a time when the Mets’ near-term future could change. Whether that throwing session becomes a true turning point depends on when Holmes returns to the mound. and whether the Mets—still carrying that 34-46 record and last-place standing—choose to keep him or consider trading him elsewhere.
New York Mets Chicago Cubs Clay Holmes Citi Field injury recovery trade deadline August MLB Jorge Polanco Juan Soto