HOUSTON — The excitement of Clay Holmes making his first start since 2018 quickly faded as the game unfolded into a chaotic spectacle for the New York Mets on Opening Day.

In what can only be described as a tumultuous outing, Holmes found himself in precarious situations throughout the final four innings of the match. Despite his struggles, he managed to keep the Mets competitive in a disastrous 3-1 loss against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Over the course of 4 2/3 innings, Holmes allowed three runs — one of which was unearned — while surrendering five hits, four walks, and hitting one batter.

Reflecting on his performance, Holmes acknowledged the critical issue with his control, stating, “I think the big thing was the walks. I gave them five free passes — the walks and a hit-by-pitch. My game is limiting slug and basically limiting free passes. And I gave them those extra free passes today to give them enough base runners to create some traffic.”

Interestingly, this marked Holmes' first regular-season start since his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he had dedicated the past six seasons primarily to relieving duties, notably with the New York Yankees.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza weighed in on Holmes' performance, noting, “He was having a hard time finding his sinker. But he kept making pitches and got ground balls when he needed them. ... It’s just one of those outings where the sinker wasn’t there, especially against that right-handed-heavy lineup.”

Holmes made history by becoming the seventh pitcher to start on Opening Day for the Mets in his debut, joining a prestigious list that includes Roger Craig, Don Cardwell, Mike Hampton, Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, and Johan Santana.

In a related decision, Tyrone Taylor was chosen to start in center field over Jose Siri, showcasing Mendoza's deliberation on player matchups. “I think I spent the last 10 days in spring training asking coaches, like ‘Siri or Taylor?’” he commented. Ultimately, the decision hinged on how well each player would handle Astros pitcher Framber Valdez’s diverse arsenal of pitches. Taylor concluded the day 1-for-4.

In a surprising move, the Mets designated outfielder Alexander Canario for assignment following an impressive spring training, highlighting the competitiveness for roster spots heading into the season. Mendoza commended Canario for his performance, recognizing the talent that caught the attention of not only the Mets but also the other 29 MLB teams.

Also designated for assignment was another outfielder, Jose Azocar, as the Mets grapple with depth issues.

The team is currently navigating a series of injuries, placing Paul Blackburn (knee), Sean Manaea (oblique), and Frankie Montas (lat strain) on the 15-day injured list. Meanwhile, key players including Francisco Alvarez (hamate fracture), Jeff McNeil (oblique), and Ronny Mauricio (ACL rehab) have been put on the 10-day IL, leaving the Mets in a tight spot as they aim to bounce back from this Opening Day setback.

As the season progresses, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how the Mets respond and who will emerge as pivotal figures to rally the team back into contention.