New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes suffered a fractured right fibula after being struck by Spencer Jones' 111.1-mph comebacker on Friday. Despite the injury, Holmes continued pitching, working 4 1/3 innings before exiting. The right-hander acknowledged surgery remains a possibility as the team gathers medical opinions.

Holmes, who entered the game with a stellar 1.86 ERA, said the injury reminded him of a similar 2020 incident with Nelson Cruz. He felt confident initially but pain worsened throughout his outing. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza indicated Holmes won't begin throwing until completely pain-free and cleared by imaging tests.

The Mets face a significant void in their rotation as Holmes embarks on a spring-training-like buildup period. New York already trails by eight games in the wild-card race and carries an extensive injury list including Francisco Lindor and Kodai Senga. Holmes, in the second year of his three-year, $38 million contract, could become a trade candidate if the Mets fall further out of contention before the August deadline.

Mendoza will decide on Holmes' rotation replacement after Sunday's game, weighing internal options like Tobias Myers or Sean Manaea. The setback extends New York's pitching depth concerns during a critical stretch of their season.