Clay Holmes took a significant step forward in his return from a fractured fibula Thursday, throwing 51 pitches over 2⅓ innings in his first rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse. He will likely make another rehab start before coming off the injured list, though chances are it won't be in a Mets uniform. Holmes is one of several veterans the Mets have made available in trade talks ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, sources told ESPN.

"This season didn't go as we anticipated," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday. "It's extremely disappointing." Holmes, who had a 2.39 ERA in nine starts before his injury, signed a three-year, $38 million contract with a $12 million player option for 2027. He has expressed interest in an extension but indicated talks have not progressed: "I don't think there's been a ton there."

The Mets could trade Holmes and re-sign him, keep him and extend a qualifying offer, or deal him for a significant haul. Stearns said the Mets intend to position themselves for a postseason berth in 2027. The only players explicitly unavailable include NL MVP candidate Juan Soto, rookie outfielders A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge, right-handers Nolan Mc Lean and Christian Scott, and shortstop Francisco Lindor.