Yankees closer Clay Holmes selected to his second All-Star Game

Clay Holmes is an American League All-Star for the second time in his career.

The Yankees closer, who looked all but unhittable in the first six weeks of the season but has been up-and-down since, acknowledged being caught a bit off guard by Sunday afternoon’s announcement.

“I was probably a little surprised,” Holmes said before Sunday night’s game against the Red Sox. “The All-Star Game’s a hard thing to make and I don’t think you could ever fully expect it. I’m not coming in with a zero ERA. It’s definitely an honor and something I’m super-grateful for.”

Holmes, whose previous All-Star appearance came in 2022 at Dodger Stadium, entered Sunday night 19-for-24 in save chances with a 3.00 ERA.

His last time on the mound was forgettable. One strike away from saving Friday night’s game, he allowed a tying two-run homer by Boston’s Masataka Yoshida in the Yankees’ 5-3, 10-inning loss.

Holmes unquestionably earned this All-Star nod based on the first part of his season. He had a 0.00 ERA in 20 innings after his first 20 appearances but, going into Sunday night, had a 6.75 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in 17 games since.

“Very excited,” said Holmes, who will be joined at the All-Star Game in Arlington by Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, both elected as starters. “This place, it means a lot to me. This organization, my teammates, the coaches, all the people here, it’s a special place to me and it means a lot to be able to represent all the guys, is something I don’t take lightly.”

Holmes entered in the eighth inning of the 2022 All-Star Game, a 3-2 AL victory in which teammate Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and won MVP honors. That night, Holmes allowed a single by Austin Riley before retiring C.J. Cron on a groundout and Dansby Swanson on a flyout (Liam Hendriks replaced him with two outs in the eighth).

“I think just being in the locker room with a lot of the guys on the team that you don’t get to be around very much,” Holmes said of what most stood out about his first experience. “Just a cool experience. Obviously, it’s the game’s best, and to be able to get close and talk baseball and be in that comfortable environment with some of the game’s best is a lot of fun.”

Gleyber sits again, but he's OK

Gleyber Torres, who left Friday’s game with right groin tightness, sat out Saturday and did not start Sunday.

“I think he’s fine, he’s ready to go,” Aaron Boone said. “I just felt like with the off day coming [Monday], one more [day off] would be the right thing.”

Boone said Torres was available Saturday off the bench as a pinch hitter and was available Sunday night if needed. “I probably wouldn’t have used him in the field, but he felt pretty good [Saturday],” he said.