After 10 Blown Saves, Clay Holmes Is "The Guy" According To Aaron Boone, Which Further Shows You How Fucked The Yankees Are

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Clay Holmes is such a fascinating baseball player to analyze. When you look at his numbers you see a very good relief pitcher. When you watch him you have legit zero confidence he can get you three outs to save a game. Ever since joining the Yankees in 2021 Clay has transformed into a very good arm out of the pen (176.2 IP 2.75 ERA 192 K 151 ERA+). That doesn't necessarily mean he's a great closer though.

After last night, Holmes leads the league in blown saves with 10. He pitches to contact and when you don't have the strongest infield defense behind you, bad things happen. His 1.3 WHIP this year helps paint the picture of constant traffic on the bases. With 6 weeks to go he's just four away from tying the all-time record held by Bruce Sutter at 14. You'd think given that statistic, a change for the 9th inning would be coming. Not according to Aaron Boone

Now here's the side of it that I get what Boone is saying. It's never good to align your brain with Boone's thinking but I see the logic. Who else are you going to put back there? That's a Brian Cashman problem. This is the bullpen he's entrusted to protect the Yankees' leads with. 

Keep in mind this is already subtracting one of his two deadline acquisitions in Enyel De Los Santo who was DFA'd a few days ago. Mark Leiter Jr. being the other arm that was added to the pen, hasn't pitched well himself. That's it for the pen. Lou Trivino and Scott Effross are rehabbing down in the minors with the hopes of returning soon, but neither have pitched since 2022. So if you're to replace Clay Holmes as your closer? Who you picking? Luke Weaver is definitely more suited for a setup role. Can't have Kahnle be the guy as he just throws a changeup. Jake Cousins has had interesting results of late, with good strikeout numbers, but are we really going with Kirk Cousins' cousin as the Yankees closer?  It's slim pickens unless you're transforming Luis Gil into that role which would be quite the move. I'd look into that if they can get Clarke Schmidt back soon and re-establish him in the rotation. Or you make Clarke the closer. Either move seems extreme, but may be necessary, 

Will Clay Holmes doom the Yankees in a big game in the postseason? Almost certainly. Is there a better option to have close games? If there is, it isn't obvious. This team is fucked. And sure at the moment they're tied for first in the AL East with the Orioles. Teams would kill to be in their position. But if you watch them every day you see their flaws which will almost certainly come back to bite them in October. Brian Cashman, ladies and gentlemen.