Mets' Clay Holmes struck by comebacker, fractures right fibula - ESPN

NEW YORK — The Mets' nightmare season continued Friday when they suffered another devastating injury during their 5-2 loss to the Yankees in their Subway Series opener.

Starting pitcher Clay Holmes, one of the few bright spots for the last-place club this season, fractured his right fibula when he was hit by a 111.1 mph comebacker off Spencer Jones' bat in the fourth inning.

«He's going to be down a long time,» Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said.

A team trainer, Mendoza and catcher Luis Torrens checked on Holmes after he absorbed the comebacker, but he didn't show any obvious signs of discomfort and stayed in the game.

After a walk and an infield single, he induced a flyout from Aaron Judge to escape a bases-loaded jam. He returned to the mound for the fifth and faced two hitters, striking out Cody Bellinger and walking Jazz Chisholm Jr., before he was removed from the game with his pitch count at 95.

He finished with a season-high eight strikeouts in a season-low 4⅓ innings. He was charged with four runs — three coming in the third inning — and exited with a team-best 2.39 ERA. Only 14 qualified starters have a lower ERA in the majors.

«It's a huge blow,» Mendoza said. «Being one of the most consistent guys that we had in that rotation. It's a big blow.»

Friday marked the first time Holmes, a former All-Star reliever for the Yankees, faced his ex-club since signing a three-year contract with the Mets to become a starter before last season. After a brief stint as a starter with the Pittsburgh Pirates to begin his career, Holes was a steady contributor in his first year back in the role, posting a 3.53 ERA in 33 appearances (31 starts). He logged 165⅔ innings — nearly 100 more than his previous career high for a season —