PORT ST. LUCIE — These actually had been the 4 begins — the primary 4 and closing 4 — that Clay Holmes made within the majors. It was 2018. He was a rookie:
1. Joe Musgrove, the important thing return within the offseason commerce of Gerrit Cole from Pittsburgh to Houston, developed a proper finger an infection. So, Holmes needed to fly to Los Angeles to start out on Independence Day in opposition to the NL’s greatest offense. The Dodgers beat up Holmes for 4 runs in three innings and he was despatched to the Excessive-A Bradenton Marauders afterward — considered one of six instances he can be optioned that season.
2. Holmes was summoned to start out the nightcap of a July 14 doubleheader in opposition to the NL Central-leading David Stearns Brewers. Holmes delivered six shutout innings within the midst of a five-game sweep of Milwaukee that was a part of an 11-game Pirates profitable streak. That satisfied Pittsburgh it was within the race, motivating one of many worst trades in franchise historical past — Tyler Glasnow, Shane Baz and Austin Meadows to the Rays for Chris Archer. Holmes’ reward? He was optioned once more.
3. He returned Aug. 10 to supply a spot-start breather for the remainder of the rotation. With the Pirates in playoff pursuit, this transfer was extensively criticized in Pittsburgh for not going with their greatest. And that was earlier than Holmes was strafed for seven runs in 2 ²/₃ innings by the Giants. It turned the symbolic set off for 10 losses in 13 video games that principally ended wild-card goals. And, sure, Holmes was instantly optioned once more.
