There was a time when New York Yankees fans didn't have to worry about their closer. Nowadays, though, Clay Holmes' blown saves are yet another reminder of just how special Mariano Rivera was.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone admitted that Holmes is no longer the unquestioned closer after the All-Star's 11th blown save of the season on Tuesday, via YES Network's Jack Curry.
“Boone said the Yankees will get ‘creative' with the closer role in the short term,” Curry reported. “He said Holmes could still be in the mix. I don’t think Boone wants to publicly say Holmes has lost his job, even temporarily. Expect the Yankees to go with matchups for foreseeable future.”
Holmes came in with a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. After drawing a groundout to start the frame, the 6-foot-5, 245-pounder gave up a single and two walks as he struggled with his command. Then, Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford took him deep for a walk-off grand slam.
Holmes' 11 blown saves lead the MLB, and New York has lost eight of those games. The 31-year-old is now 2-5 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 57 appearances.
How will Boone navigate this situation moving forward?
The Yankees will hold an open audition for the role
One of New York's biggest weaknesses is its lack of established relief pitchers. Therefore, starting pitchers Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt could be asked to help once they return from the IL.
“When Boone was asked if Gil or Schmidt could be late inning bullpen options, he said, ‘Never say never.' Boone said 1 starter will need to go to the pen when everyone is back,” Curry continued. “But what is most relevant is whether Yanks would give a starter w/ swing & miss stuff a chance to close.”
The “swing and miss” aspect can't be emphasized enough. Holmes is described as a “soft contact” pitcher, with a sinker that's supposed to produce easy ground balls. However, that strategy has blown up in the Yankees' faces, and it would be safest to go with a power pitcher who can produce more strikeouts.
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If Gil or Schmidt don't win the job, it'll most likely be one or a combination of middle relievers, via The New York Post's Greg Joyce.
“The three main candidates would be Tommy Kahnle, Luke Weaver and Jake Cousins,” Joyce said. “Of that group, only Cousins has recorded a save this season (against the White Sox last month on a night when Holmes was unavailable), though Kahnle has seven in his 10-year career.”
Joyce pointed out that Cousins has the most “closer-like stuff” of the group due to his filthy slider. The 30-year-old is 1-1 with a 2.73 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, six holds and a save in 31 appearances. He also has a 3.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.36 strikeouts per inning. On paper, he may be the safest bet, but his lack of closing experience could hinder him, especially in the playoffs.
The remaining month of the regular season serves as a crucial time for Boone and company to sort out their bullpen before October, as an unreliable closer situation is not a championship recipe.
