Clay Holmes is a free agent, and his sinker could be a perfect match for the Blue Jays' elite infield defence. The former Yankees closer is now a full-time starter.

His conversion has been remarkable. After losing the Yankees' closer job in 2024, he signed a three-year, $38 million deal with the Mets to start.

He delivered in year one. Holmes posted a 3.53 ERA over 33 starts in 2025.

He was even better early in 2026, with a 2.39 ERA through his first nine starts. Then a comebacker fractured his right fibula on May 15.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said at the time that Holmes would “be down for a long time.” He was traded to the Cubs while on the IL.

He returned for four starts down the stretch with a 4.25 ERA. Not great, but understandable after a broken leg.

Clay Holmes' 60.8% groundball rate fits Andrés Giménez's glove

The sinker is the calling card. His groundball rate ranked in the 99th percentile among starters in 2026.

That's why Toronto makes sense. Andrés Giménez posted 16 Fielding Run Value, second in the AL, with Kazuma Okamoto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rounding out the infield.

What about durability? That's the real question.

He has only 53 career starts, the smallest body of work among free-agent starters. Steamer still projects 28 starts and 154 innings next season.

The price range is reasonable. Spotrac projects two years and $27.7 million, while MLB Trade Rumors predicts three years and $45 million.

Holmes is a better buy than another flashy name. A groundball machine paired with Giménez is a smarter investment than overpaying for strikeouts, and two or three years limits the risk.

Pairing Holmes with this infield is like giving a great quarterback an elite receiver. The skill was always there, and now it has the right target.

Pete Walker's staff helped Dylan Cease take another step in 2026. If Ross Atkins can sell him on that, Toronto might land the most underrated starter on the market.