Kay rants at Holmes, questions Boone and Cashman for Yankees’ closer trouble

Thursday September 5, 2024

Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay voiced serious concerns over closer Clay Holmes’ recent struggles, following Holmes’ 11th blown save of the season during Tuesday night’s crushing loss to the Rangers. The game ended in dramatic fashion with a walk-off grand slam by rookie Wyatt Langford, pushing the Yankees to an 80-59 record and dropping them half a game behind the Orioles in the AL East with 23 games remaining.

Kay emphasized the critical nature of winning the division to secure a first-round bye in the playoffs, urging the Yankees to explore other bullpen options. On his ESPN radio show, Kay described Holmes’ performance as “epically bad” and stated bluntly that Holmes should no longer be trusted in high-leverage situations. He called the loss “terrible” and argued that the Yankees can’t afford to rely on Holmes as their closer down the stretch.

“It’s all happening in his mind,” Kay riled at Holmes after the Yankees’ 7-4 loss. “Last night was epically bad. I don’t think you can close with Clay Holmes anymore. It was a terrible, terrible loss. You cannot close with this guy.”

Clay Holmes couldn’t execute the six-out save on Friday in the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox. — AP

Kay directs anger toward Yankees’ Boone, Cashman

Kay’s criticism extended to manager Aaron Boone’s bullpen decisions and general manager Brian Cashman’s failure to secure a proven closer at the trade deadline. He highlighted Holmes’ inability to overpower hitters, noting that his current 3.27 ERA is the highest it’s been since joining the Yankees in 2021. Despite being the primary closer since 2022, Kay suggested the team should consider other options for the critical ninth-inning role as they push toward the postseason.

Drawing a comparison to legendary closer Mariano Rivera, Kay praised Rivera’s fierce competitiveness on the mound, contrasting it with Holmes’ current mental fortitude. He questioned whether Holmes had the same level of toughness to thrive in pressure-packed moments.

Kay expressed doubt about Holmes’ ability to close games in the postseason, stressing that every remaining game is crucial in the tight division race. He warned that the Yankees’ World Series hopes would be severely hindered if they entered October as a Wild Card team and cautioned that their path to a pennant would be unlikely with Holmes still anchoring the bullpen.

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