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The Dodgers have scouts watching Clay Holmes as he works his way back on a rehab assignment, per Dodger Blue. The New York Mets are shaping up as the most obvious seller ahead of the trade deadline, and Holmes is one of the names drawing interest from multiple clubs — including ours.

Holmes suffered a fractured fibula on May 15 that has kept him sidelined for over two months. Before the injury, he had established himself as one of the more interesting arms in the National League over the past several seasons. Holmes originally came up through the Pittsburgh Pirates system as a starter before Pittsburgh traded him to New York in 2021. The Mets converted him into a full-time reliever, and he thrived in that role — earning an All-Star nod in 2022 when he posted a 1.56 ERA in the first half and briefly served as the team’s closer. He signed a three-year, $38 million deal with the Mets ahead of the 2025 season after a stint with the Yankees, and when healthy he’s been a high-leverage weapon with a devastating sinker that generates ground balls at an elite rate. The fact that he’s currently on a rehab assignment rather than pitching in games means any acquiring team is taking on some injury risk, but the upside is real.

For the Dodgers, the interest makes sense on multiple levels. Even with the expected blockbuster pursuit of Tarik Skubal dominating the headlines, the bullpen remains an area where Andrew Friedman could look to add depth. Our relief corps has been solid but not dominant, and a arm like Holmes — assuming he comes back healthy and throwing the way he did before the fracture — would slot in nicely in high-leverage situations. He’s a ground-ball machine, which plays especially well at Dodger Stadium.

The wrinkle here is the rehab timeline. We don’t know exactly where Holmes is in his recovery or how close he is to being game-ready at the major league level. Scouting a guy on a rehab assignment is standard operating procedure — you want to see the arm action, the velocity, how the pitches are coming out — but it doesn’t mean a deal is imminent. It means the Dodgers are doing their homework, which is what you’d expect from this front office with the deadline approaching.

I’d also point out that the Mets being clear sellers makes the acquisition cost potentially reasonable. Holmes isn’t a rental — he’s under contract through 2027 — so there’s added value there, but a pitcher coming off a broken leg isn’t going to command a king’s ransom. If the medicals check out and the stuff looks right on the rehab assignment, this could be a smart, under-the-radar add while everyone else is focused on the rotation. (And this one bears watching as we get closer to the deadline.)

The Dodgers aren’t the only team with eyes on Holmes, so if they’re serious, they’ll need to move with some urgency. But adding a proven high-leverage arm with multiple years of control at a discount price? That’s exactly the kind of move this front office loves to make.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: July 30, 2026 1:16 PM UTC

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