The White Sox keep hanging onto first place in the AL Central, and the front office appears ready to add for it. One name now attached to Chicago is Mets right-hander Clay Holmes.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Holmes is on the White Sox’s radar, with special assistant Nick Hostetler set to keep tabs on the pitcher during his minor league rehab assignment. That assignment hasn’t started yet. Holmes’ scheduled outing with High-A Brooklyn was rained out, and per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the rival scouts who showed up to watch instead saw him throw roughly 45 pitches in a live bullpen open only to Mets staff.
The Injury Complicates the Timeline
Holmes fractured his fibula on May 15 when Yankees prospect Spencer Jones lined a comebacker off his right leg. He avoided surgery and remains on track for an August return, though the exact date is unclear and hangs over the Mets’ deadline plans. The rained-out rehab start pushes things back further and makes it less likely he’s activated off the 60-day IL before the August 3 deadline.
An injury alone wouldn’t kill a deal. DiComo pointed to last summer’s Shane Bieber trade, where Cleveland landed a notable pitching prospect from Toronto even though Bieber hadn’t pitched since April 2024 following Tommy John surgery. A team comfortable with what it sees in Holmes’ rehab could still pull the trigger.
The Contract Wrinkle
Holmes is in the second year of a three-year, $38MM deal and is expected to opt out of the final season to test free agency, which effectively makes him a rental. That caps what the Mets can ask for. He has said he likes playing in Queens and is open to extension talks, so New York is expected to weigh that route while listening to offers.
The bet on Holmes is that his move to starting has worked. He put up a 3.53 ERA over 165â…” innings in 2025, then a 2.39 ERA across his first 52â…” innings in 2026 before the injury. His strikeout rate dropped as a starter, but he keeps the ball on the ground and has surrendered just 17 home runs in New York.
How He’d Fit in Chicago
The White Sox rotation could use him. Davis Martin and Sean Burke have pitched well up front, with more uneven results from Anthony Kay, Erick Fedde, and rookie Noah Schultz. Chicago is thin on rotation experience and depth, which makes starting pitching and the bullpen the team’s top deadline priorities.
GM Chris Getz said in early June that the club was still focused on the big picture in what was meant to be a rebuilding year, while acknowledging the standings and saying the team would add if the right chances came up. The Sox have kept winning since, which points toward upgrades even without a spending spree. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Chicago is willing to be aggressive on players under club control but isn’t inclined to overpay for rentals. Holmes, with his likely opt-out, cuts against that model, which could limit how far the Sox go. With plenty of teams involved and his health still in question, other arms may be more realistic targets, but the interest is real enough to track.
