The severe injury suffered by Clay Holmes came at a bad time for the New York Mets. The pitcher had been putting up strong numbers on the mound, but a fractured fibula will prevent him from continuing to help his teammates for a considerable period of time, although not requiring surgery could see him back on the field sooner than expected.
“It’s looking like there’s probably not going to be any surgery needed. I don’t think anything’s really off the table right now,” Holmes said to the press regarding a potential surgery.
Despite this news, he showed frustration at not being able to help his teammates at this point in the season: “I think more than anything, just not being able to compete with the guys here and the team,” Holmes revealed before the third game against the Yankees. “I think just, being on the sideline, it’ll be tough to watch.”
Carlos Mendoza seemed to have found in Clay Holmes the pitcher he needed for a season that is becoming increasingly difficult for the New York Mets. Still, Luke Weaver has been doing well.
"It's looking like there's probably not going to be any surgery needed. I don't think anything's really off the table right now"
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 17, 2026
Clay Holmes talks about whether or not he'll need surgery to repair his fractured fibula: pic.twitter.com/zlxsfzbxJ3
The potential return of Clay Holmes
Following the injury sustained on Friday night against the Yankees, New York Mets right-hander could potentially target a return to action sometime in August. According to manager Carlos Mendoza, the bone is expected to need roughly six to eight weeks to fully heal before Holmes can even begin physical activity.
From there, the 33-year-old starter would likely require a six-week, Spring Training-style ramp-up period to rebuild his arm strength and pitch count. While the Mets have confirmed the injury is not season-ending, this combined timeline means a realistic comeback scenario would likely slide into the final two months of the regular season.
Although it is a long period of time for a player who had found his rhythm during the campaign, the truth is that if he does not require surgery, he will likely be back on the field sooner than expected.
