Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes said Tuesday he might need a trip to the injured list due to a back injury.

Fantasy Impact

Holmes said his back locked up on him when trying to throw off the mound Tuesday after he started to feel issues in his back a couple days prior. Holmes has struggled mightily as of late out of the Yankees closer role, allowing runs in four of his last five appearances and he hasn't pitched since Friday. Aroldis Chapman could return to his closer role as a result.

Clay Holmes pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and zero walks while striking out three in New York’s 7-6 victory in Baltimore on Friday.

Fantasy Impact

Holmes entered with 1-out in the 8th inning when Michael King exited with a fractured elbow and showed no ill effects from having to take the mound on short notice, striking out three of the six batters he faced. Holmes struck out three of the six batters he faced and is now 17-for-19 in save opportunities this season. Holmes started off the second half of the season the way he pitched most of the first half: dominantly. Holmes carries a 1.26 ERA and 0.86 WHIP has 47 strikeouts in 43 innings across 42 appearances and Friday was his 38th scoreless appearance of the season.

Clay Holmes pitched zero innings, allowing four runs on two hits, three walks and two hit batters and took the loss in New York’s 4-3 loss to Cincinnati on Tuesday.

Fantasy Impact

Holmes pitched to five batters in the 9th inning before being pulled without recording a single out. Holmes allowed more earned runs on Tuesday (4) than he had all season (2) and saw his ERA jump nearly a run from 0.47 to 1.37 in the process. This was by far Holmes’ worst appearance of the year is just an anomaly. Holmes has had an unbelievable season outside of Tuesday and fantasy managers have to chalk it up as “one of those days” (even Mariano Rivera wasn’t perfect) and know he’ll be back to normal in his next appearance.

Clay Holmes pitched one inning, allowing zero runs on no hits and no walks to earn the save in New York’s 6-5 win in Boston on Thursday.

Fantasy Impact

Holmes is now 16-for-17 in save opportunities this year. The lights out closer lowered his ERA to 0.47, it’s lowest point since it “ballooned” to 0.55 after his only blown save on June 20. Holmes has remained the Yankees undisputed closer even with the return of Aroldis Chapman so for now it looks like Chapman fantasy managers are the odd ones out in the save department. Holmes is about as automatic as it gets for relievers this year, having only allowed runs in two of his 39 appearances and his aforementioned microscopic ERA and 0.71 WHIP can attest.

Clay Holmes pitched 1/3 of an inning and was perfect to earn the save in New York’s 6-1 win in Game 2 on Saturday night.

Fantasy Impact

Holmes needed just one pitch to induce a game-ending groundout and nail down his 15th save. Holmes is now 15-for-16 in save situations this season and his microscopic 0.49 ERA and 0.73 WHIP didn’t move much. Holmes did most of his work warming up, throwing more pitches warming up on the mound when he entered the game then he did in-game for one of the easiest saves he’ll ever earn. Aroldis Chapman returned from the IL and was ineffective while walking all three batters he faced in Game 1 of the double header. Chapman’s early rust seemingly makes the decision to keep Holmes as the “high leverage situation” guy easier for the time being.