New York Yankees Reasoning For Clay Holmes’ Status Strikes Odd Tone For A Postseason Game

The scene was odd when Clay Holmes was not spotted warming up for a ninth inning with the Yankees holding a two-run lead in Game 3 of the ALDS on Saturday.

It was strange when he did not get ready to come in after Wandy Peralta in what was assumed to be a bid for a seven-out save allowed two hits, including one to Myles Straw that possibly could have been caught if left fielder Oswaldo Cabrera was positioned closer to the infield.

The scene in the moments after Oscar Gonzalez hit a 1-2 slider into center field for a game-winning two-run single into center field was even more bizarre. Not because Gonzalez got the hit since by now it seems an almost expected outcome from the rookie but because it came from a pitch from Clarke Schmidt’s right hand and not Holmes, who did not appear close to coming in despite the fact he led the Yankees with 20 saves.

It was odd because of the mixed messaging emanating from the postgame comments. Within 10 to 15 minutes of Gonzalez’s latest clutch hit triggering a wild celebration following a night of 15 hits (13 singles) and a 9-for-17 with runners in scoring position performance for Cleveland, the line of questioning centered around the bullpen strategy.

And by question two, came the obvious query of whether Holmes was available.

“No, no. I mean, he was down there available, but we felt like it was — you know, we were putting him in a tough situation,” Boone said.

While it is certainly accurate Holmes would be entering in a tough situation, it also potentially could be avoided if he was used to start the inning. While there is no guarantee Holmes escapes after entering in the middle of the inning since he allowed a .257 average with runners on (27-for-105) and a .286 with runners in scoring position (18-for-63) during a regular season where made 62 appearances spanning 63 2/3 innings, figures that are his second-highest career totals and might have been career highs if not for an injured list stint due to a sore back and missing the final week of the season with a sore shoulder.

After the odd explanation, it was pointed out that Holmes has made two appearances in the series, throwing 10 pitches to three hitters to secure Game 1 on Tuesday and 16 pitches to four hitters in the ninth inning on Game 2 three days later. Despite the consecutive games, it is 26 pitches in a span of four days, making the lack of usage odder.

“I mean, part of the thing with him being available for this series, was not really in a back-to-back situation yet. He just hadn’t thrown any live or anything,” Boone said. “So while he was pretty good today and I fully expect him available tomorrow, it just felt like we needed to stay away there.”

The reasoning makes sense for the middle of the season given the fierce avoidance of using relievers in three straight games during the regular season but certainly an odd vibe for the high stakes nature of the postseason.

Then came the postgame clubhouse scene where a bulk of the focus was on someone who did not appear in the game and seemed qualified to appear in the emergency of two runners on in the ninth inning of Game 3 with a two-run lead.

“They asked, and I said I was good to go if needed,” Holmes told reporters in Cleveland. “That’s how the conversation was, but those decisions aren’t mine.”

And Holmes was not alone in relaying the information and opinion about his status. Perhaps a more telling and pointed response came from Luis Severino, who perhaps was speaking for fans and maybe even teammates.

“He’s the closer,” Severino told reporters. “I was surprised, but I don’t know if he was down. I don’t know if people should be down in the playoffs. That’s something you guys need to ask Boonie or (pitching coach Matt) Blake, but I was surprised not seeing him.”

Perhaps it also comes down that the Yankees are at the point where they are guessing who they can trust. They head into their first elimination game a week after telling Aroldis Chapman to stay away after he did not appear for a mandatory workout and five days after learning Scott Effross needs Tommy John surgery.

They also are experiencing what many other teams did in the postseason, how hard it is when your relief options are not necessarily as automatic as Mariano Rivera was in getting 42 postseason saves in 96 appearances.

Rivera’s final postseason appearance was Oct. 6, 2011 in Game of the ALDS against Detroit in a 3-2 loss. His final save was Game 1 of the 2010 ALCS in Texas on Oct. 15, 2010.

Since Rivera’s last postseason save, the Yankees are 24-32 in the playoffs. In that span, Chapman has six saves, Tommy Kahnle has another and in that stretch the Yankees are 5-18 in postseason games decided by two runs or fewer with nine of those defeats coming in the eighth inning or later.

“We should have won that game,” Severino told reporters.

It is a sentiment felt throughout the fanbase, especially after the odd statement about the bullpen usage.

The only way it becomes a moot point for now is if the Yankees win the next two games to advance to their third ALCS encounter with the Houston Astros, who used Luis Garcia for the final five innings of their 18-inning win in Seattle to complete a three-game sweep.