Clay Holmes finally has a real checkpoint in front of him

Clay Holmes finally gave the Mets the kind of injury update that does not come with another warning attached.

According to Chelsea Janes of SNY, Holmes said he underwent another X-ray on his leg last week and “everything checked out.” He has been throwing on flat ground and is scheduled to get back on a mound next week.

That does not mean a return is suddenly around the corner, but it does mean the Mets have cleared one of the more important checkpoints in a recovery that started with one of the uglier moments of their season.

Holmes is moving, but the Mets still need patience

Holmes fractured his right fibula in May after taking a 111.1 mph comebacker off the bat of Spencer Jones during the Subway Series. MLB.com reported at the time that he would be “down for a long time,” and the Mets placed him on the injured list soon after.

The encouraging part is that the bone appears to be cooperating. Holmes getting a clean X-ray and moving from flat-ground work toward mound work is the first real sign that his throwing progression can start looking more like a baseball plan again instead of just a medical waiting game.

The cautious part is just as important. Holmes said he will not need a full spring training ramp-up, but he also would not set a return target. That is probably the right answer. The Mets do not need him guessing at a date in late June. They need him building back without another setback.

A healthy Holmes still changes the Mets’ deadline picture

This update matters beyond the rotation because Holmes was one of the few stable pieces the Mets had before the injury.

The New York Post noted earlier this month that Holmes had a 2.39 ERA through nine starts before the fractured fibula, which made him one of the few bright spots in a season that has otherwise pushed the organization toward sell-mode territory.

That creates an interesting deadline wrinkle. If the Mets are selling, a healthy Holmes would be a legitimate trade chip. If they decide to keep him, he gives the rotation a real arm back for the final stretch and potentially changes how they think about 2027.

READ MORE: Building a realistic Freddy Peralta trade board for the Mets

The mound session is the next real checkpoint

For now, the next step is simple: get on the mound and see how the leg responds.

Throwing flat ground is one thing. Getting back on a mound introduces more force, more timing, and more game-like movement through the lower half. That is where the Mets will get a clearer idea of how quickly Holmes can move.

The update is good. The timeline is still undefined. For the Mets, that is probably enough for now.

Holmes is throwing again, the X-ray checked out, and the mound is finally back on the calendar. After how this injury started, that qualifies as a real step forward.