Mets’ Clay Holmes has never been given starting chance quite like this

These really were the four starts — the first four and final four — that Clay Holmes made in the majors. It was 2018. He was a rookie:

1. Joe Musgrove, the key return in the offseason trade of Gerrit Cole from Pittsburgh to Houston, developed a right finger infection. So, Holmes had to fly to Los Angeles to start on Independence Day against the NL’s best offense. The Dodgers beat up Holmes for four runs in three innings and he was sent to the High-A Bradenton Marauders afterward — one of six times he would be optioned that season.