Yankees’ Clay Holmes is ‘the second-best closer in baseball,’ MLB insider says

He’s not the best. But he’s pretty darn close. That’s what The Athletic’s Jim Bowden thinks of New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes.

Bowden, in an appearance for CBS Sports Network, gushed over Holmes, who has replaced the injured Aroldis Chapman as the anchor of the Yankees bullpen.

“Well, let’s put it this way: Clay Holmes right now is the second-best closer in baseball, only to Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers. And I expect that when Chapman comes back off the IL from the Achilles injury, that Aaron Boone will keep Holmes as the closer and Chapman will have to set up. This kid is dominating, you look at the metrics, his expected ERA is in the 100th percentile, as is the expected wOBA against. His chase rate is in the 94th percentile … and if you want more recent statistics, how about 24 strikeouts and two walks in just 23.2 innings. Opponents are hitting .167 against that sinker, .176 against the slider.

“The only concern that I would have with the Yankees bullpen is you’ve lost Chad Green for the year with Tommy John surgery, Mike King is on the IL and Chapman, a little bit ineffective, probably more about the Achilles than anything else. But I think down the road, my biggest concern is going to be 6th, 7th, getting to the 8th and 9th innings for the Yankees. But for Holmes, look, to think they got him for Diego Castillo last year at the trade deadline, great GMing there by Brian Cashman. Holmes is the real deal. Yankees fans need to embrace him.”

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Bowden echoes what the New York Post’s Jon Heyman had to say: “Hard to imagine there are many better relievers than Clay Holmes right now. When Aroldis Chapman returns he will have to come back in a lesser role.”

The 29-year-old Holmes picked up his fifth save of the season Wednesday, lowering his ERA to 0.38 in the process.

The 34-year-old Chapman, who’s been the Yankees’ closer since 2016, has nine saves but a career-worst 3.86 ERA this season.

Here’s more on Holmes’ mound dominance, per Yankees PR:

– He has not allowed a run in his last 21 appearances since 4/9 (23.0IP).

– His current 23.0 scoreless inning streak is a career best and the longest in the Majors this season … according to Elias, is the longest scoreless streak by a Yankees reliever since David Robertson’s 26.1 scoreless inning streak from 9/1/11-5/8/12 … Elias notes that it is the longest single-season scoreless streak by a Yankees reliever since Kerry Wood’s 23.1 scoreless inning streak from 8/6-9/26/10.

– His 23.0 scoreless inning streak is the longest single-season scoreless streak by a Yankee since CC Sabathia’s 23.2 scoreless inning streak in 2011.

– His 21 scoreless relief appearances this season are the most in the majors.

– He is only the third Yankees reliever in franchise history to record 21 scoreless relief appearances in the Yankees’ first 44 games of a season, joining Mariano Rivera (21G in 2004) and Brian Bruney (21G in 2007).

MORE MLB:

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– Potential Mets, Yankees trade target is sharp in return to the mound after narrowly escaping serious injury

– Trash-talking ex-Red Sox reliever lands on White Sox injured list after slamming Yankees

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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

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