Ex-Yankees Closer 'Makes Sense' for NL Club, per Insider

Former New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes appears to be a good fit for this National League team.

Oct 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes (35) reacts after giving up a home run to end the game during the tenth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees entered the 2024 regular season thinking they had one of baseball's elite relievers in Clay Holmes.

And that proved to be the case through the first few months of the season, as Holmes hadn't allowed a single earned run in his first 20 innings of work.

While this impressive scoreless streak was bound to end eventually, few could have predicted that Holmes would go on to blow 13 saves (which was the most in MLB last season and the most by a Yankee since 1987) and eventually lose his closer job to Luke Weaver in early September.

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Although Holmes did bounce back to produce a solid postseason for New York, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 12 innings during the 2024 playoffs.

The 31-year-old is now an unrestricted free agent after spending the past three full seasons in pinstripes. And according to a November 25 article from MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand, Holmes could "make sense" for the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason.

"The Cardinals are likely to trade closer Ryan Helsley this winter, and Andrew Kittredge is a free agent, leaving some potential holes in the bullpen," Feinsand wrote. "Holmes was an All-Star in 2022 and 2024, and although he lost his closer job with the Yankees late in the season, the righty was a big part of New York’s run to the World Series."

If Holmes' time on the Yankees is over, New York fans would surely prefer he heads to the National League instead of staying in the AL East.