When the Mets meet the Astros at 4:10 p.m. ET (3:10 CT) on March 27 in Houston, one pitcher will be making his fourth career Opening Day start. The other will be making his fifth career start of any kind.
While it’s a notable contrast in experience, both are accomplished veterans in their own rights. Houston’s starter, Framber Valdez, has been one of the game’s most consistent starting pitchers in recent seasons, finishing in the Top 10 in American League Cy Young voting each of the past three years.
Clay Holmes, meanwhile, is returning to a big league rotation for the first time since 2018, when he started four games as a rookie for the Pirates. In the interim, Holmes spent years as one of baseball’s top relievers. The Mets believe he can be a successful starter once again.
Here’s additional information on one of baseball’s more intriguing Opening Day matchups:
RHP Clay Holmes
Previous Opening Days starts: None
2024 season: 3-5, 3.14 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 63 innings pitched, 68 strikeouts, 22 walks, 30 saves
Holmes, who has spent almost his entire career as a reliever, including the past three years as the Yankees’ closer, will be making his first start in seven years when he takes the mound in Houston. He saved 74 games with a 2.85 ERA from 2022-24, relying mostly on his power sinker.
Over the offseason, when Holmes made it known that he was looking to return to a rotation, the Mets pounced, signing him to a three-year, $38 million contract with an opt-out after 2026. The right-hander immediately began working toward his new goal, stretching out with bullpen sessions at home and developing two new pitches -- a changeup and a cutter. Over his first four spring outings, he very much looked the part of a starting pitcher, holding opponents to just two runs over 14 innings with 15 strikeouts.
That early success, combined with a lack of alternative options, led the Mets to tab Holmes for their Opening Day start. The presumptive favorite for that honor, Sean Manaea, went down with a right oblique strain early in Spring Training and won’t be ready until at least mid-April. Kodai Senga, the Mets’ best pitcher two years ago, has been in a slow progression after missing nearly all of last season due to shoulder, triceps and calf issues. Griffin Canning, Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill are all still competing for jobs.
That left only David Peterson and Holmes, the latter of whom should be stretched out to throw 90-plus pitches on Opening Day. It will mark the official start of a journey Mets officials will watch with interest.
“It wasn’t a goal coming into this, like, ‘Man, I want to be the Opening Day starter,’” Holmes said. “But to have a little bit of … reward for the work I’ve had to put in, it feels good.”
LHP Framber Valdez
Previous Opening Days starts: 2022, 2023, 2024
2024 season: 15-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 176 1/3 innings pitched, 169 strikeouts, 55 walks
Valdez makes his fourth consecutive Opening Day start on the mound, which is a club record for a lefty and the longest since Roy Oswalt started eight in a row (2003-10). Last year, Valdez led the Astros in wins, innings and fewest homers allowed by a starter (13) en route to earning Most Valuable Player and Cy Young votes.
“I just want to be competitive this year,” he said. “Just be the best I can be for the team, working on my sinker, my curveball and my repertoire of pitches. Just trying to be consistent the best I can.”
Valdez has established himself as one of the top starters in the AL since joining the Astros rotation in 2020, going 60-33 with a 3.12 ERA and 764 strikeouts in 781 innings over that stretch. Among qualified starters since 2020, he ranks first in wins and ground ball percentage (62.6%) and is eighth in ERA.
A workhorse on the mound, Valdez has thrown 866 innings in the regular season and playoffs since 2020, which ranks third-best in the Major Leagues behind Aaron Nola (903 2/3 innings) and Zack Wheeler (899 2/3 innings) of the Phillies. Valdez is in the final year of his contract and was the subject of some offseason trade speculation after the Astros traded All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker prior to his walk year.
Senior Reporter Anthony DiComo has covered the Mets for MLB.com since 2007.
Supervising Club Reporter Brian McTaggart has covered the Astros since 2004, and for MLB.com since 2009.