Clay Holmes rediscovers form a month after being pulled from closer's role as Yankees prep for ALCS

NEW YORK (AP) — Clay Holmes is rediscovering his sinker at a pivotal time for the New York Yankees.

A little over a month since being removed from his closer’s role, Holmes has allowed two runs over his past 14 outings and the right-hander’s five spotless innings helped the Yankees advance past the Kansas City Royals to reach the American League Championship Series.

Holmes was 3-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 30 saves in 67 appearances. He led the majors with 13 blown saves and was taken out of the closer’s spot after allowing a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on Sept. 3.

He blew two more saves on Sept. 11 and 18 against Kansas City and Seattle respectively but also had eight other scoreless outings to help the Yankees get home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

“I think for me, my confidence, my identity, who I am, what I can do is not really tied in so much to some title that is given to me,” Holmes said Saturday during a video conference as the Yankees worked out for the ALCS.

The Yankees outscored the Royals 14-12 in the AL Division Series and their relievers combined on 15 2/3 scoreless innings. It was the third-most scoreless innings by a team’s relievers in postseason history behind Minnesota’s 18 1/3 innings in the 1991 ALCS against Toronto and the 17 thrown by the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Cubs in the 2017 NLCS.

“It’s fun,” Holmes said. “Obviously we got a good group down there. We have a lot of fun. We’re pretty tight knit. We’re all rooting for each other. To see that happen was cool. I think that’s what we’re capable of and that’s what we know we can do."

Holmes appeared in each game of a series where every game was decided by two runs or less and earned the win in the series opener. In Game 3, Holmes relieved Clarke Schmidt and stranded two runners in the fifth and pitched 1 1/3 innings. In the clincher, he pitched a 1-2-3 eighth before closer Luke Weaver earned his third save of the series.

“What I continue to say even when he went through some tough stretches there, we’re looking at a really, really good pitcher and that’s showing up right now,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Holmes threw his sinker 56.3% of the time in the regular season, down from 69.5% in 2023. In the final month, he threw the pitch 67.1% of the time and allowed a .200 average.

Against Kansas City 41 of his 58 pitches were sinkers and he attributed the recent success to an improved grip.

“More times than not when I’m at my best my sinker’s really good,” Holmes said. “I think I made it a point to figure that out. I started throwing it more and I knew I had to get back to that.”

Boone said the Yankees will decide on their Game 1 starter on Sunday but it will not be rookie Luis Gil.

Carlos Rodón, who would have started Game 5 of the ALDS Saturday, is a candidate and Boone said Gerrit Cole is likely for Game 2.

Gil, who did not pitch in the ALDS, will start later in the series. Gil was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 29 starts after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

Gil, who last pitched Sept. 28 against Pittsburgh, will pitch a simulated game Sunday.

The Yankees had 11 pitchers on their ALDS roster and Boone said at least one pitcher will be added for the ALCS.

Anthony Rizzo’s availability for the ALCS remains uncertain two weeks after the first baseman fractured two fingers on his right hand while getting hit by a pitch against Pittsburgh.

Boone said Rizzo is making progress but mostly with treatments and little baseball activities. The Yankees will make a decision on Rizzo’s status Monday shortly before submitting their roster.

In the ALDS, utility players Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti split time at first base. The duo combined for 27 putouts and Berti started a key double play in the sixth inning in Game 4.

“Certainly liked what I saw from Cabby and Berti in that first series,” Boone said. “Really playing a nice role for us.”

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