There was buzz in recent days that teams were registering interest in utilizing Holmes as a starting pitcher rather than a reliever, and Passan confirmed that New York plans on following that line of thinking. The 31-year-old was a two-time All-Star for the New York Yankees out of the bullpen, posting a 2.69 ERA and 74 saves with the team over 220 appearances, though the Mets are hoping that they can successfully transition him to the rotation despite the fact that he has not started a game at the major league level since he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018.

If that experiment falls flat, however, Holmes could still provide plenty of value at the backend of the bullpen. He joins former Yankees teammate Frankie Montas as the Mets’ two additions in the rotation so far this offseason.