Yankees could pay for overdue Clay Holmes demotion in more ways than one

Was it Aaron Boone or Brian Cashman? Does it even really matter? It's the same old New York Yankees decisions that have held them back during this premier window of contention. Though removing Clay Holmes from the closer role was the right call, the team waited too long.

It all finally came to a head two weeks ago when Holmes surrendered a walk-off grand slam against the Texas Rangers when all he needed to do was get the 7-8-9 hitters out for the save. Obviously, easier said than done, but for a closer, the job literally does not get easier than that.

The problems with Holmes predated that moment, and very much in alarming fashion. Despite a spotless first six weeks of 2024, he managed to lead MLB in blown saves by the middle of August. The last three full seasons of Holmes have been characterized by sterling first halves, followed by absolute meltdowns starting as early as June. But the Yankees, of course, wanted to see it through.

Now? The situation feels a bit better, but there's a week and a half left in the regular season. How are the guys who haven't saved games at all supposed to get properly acclimated to save situations? How is Holmes expected to quickly get back on track after being handed a demotion, both with his approach in non-save situations and dealing the emotional whirlwind of it all?

Though we've seen positive early returns from Luke Weaver in the closer role, as well as Tommy Kahnle, Jake Cousins and Ian Hamilton in more pressing high-leverage scenarios, Holmes has flopped when he was supposed to be a fearsome 7th- or 8th-inning asset. He's blown two saves in a non-closer role since the demotion, with the latest coming Wednesday night in Seattle when he surrendered a game-tying home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Holmes somehow blew his league-leading 12th save of the season in the SEVENTH inning last Wednesday night against the Royals. A week later, he blew his 13th, which is tied for the most in Yankees history.

After getting four days off earlier in the month, Holmes faced the Cubs in a losing effort (scoreless eighth inning in which the Yankees were trailing), then allowed one earned run on two hits in the eventual win over the Royals last week. Between that, he tossed just 1.1 scoreless innings in two separate outings against the Red Sox. He got the job done, but he didn't pitch a full inning in either outing.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are elevating a number of pitchers who either don't have the necessary experience in Weaver and Cousins, or have a penchant for allowing inherited runners to score in Kahnle. Ian Hamilton is also expected to be a weapon late in games in the playoffs, and his September has been really good, but it's hard to count on a guy in that role with just 85 career games under his belt. Nonetheless, these guys are all getting the job done, and Weaver as the closer is clearly a difference maker. So far, it feels like the Yanks are in the clear on this front.

The larger concern, perhaps, is Holmes' adjustment period. He was booed off the mound last Wednesday in his second appearance since the Yankees went in a different direction with the closer role. Now he has less than two weeks to "figure it out" and find a rhythm/get comfortable. So, what's that? Maybe four outings? Definitely not enough to establish oneself after a major shift. And then he's going to pitch in a high-pressure environment in Yankee Stadium (or on the road) in the playoffs?

And did Boone learn nothing from the "Holmes Experience"? The right-hander needed a bit of a break from high-leverage situations to regain his footing. Last Wednesday was the perfect night not to use him, with all of Cousins, Kahnle and Weaver available. Those guys all ended up being used anyway after Holmes blew it!

The Yankees should've just made this decision much sooner, because now it exposes them to other hierarchy/role dilemmas with so little time before the postseason. Hopefully the bullpen can right the ship by the time the regular season ends, but it's a tall task for a unit that's been the definition of up-and-down since mid-May.