The loss of Clay Holmes is going to cost the Mets

There is the individual cost. 

Clay Holmes was arguably — maybe inarguably — the best Met of 2026. In his second season back as a starter, he was pitching like an All-Star. It was setting him up well to opt out of the $12 million left on his deal for 2027 and, at 33, pursue the greatest payday of his career. 

There is the symbolic cost. 

If you believe that the free agent signing of Juan Soto for 15 years at $765 million had Steve Cohen’s fingerprints more than those of David Stearns, then Holmes represents the best acquisition of Stearns’ three-plus years running baseball operations. Dollar for dollar, to date, it might be better than Soto.