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A Closer on the Mound, a Rookie Dad at Home: Clay Holmes — From the Yankees’ Dominant Closer to a First-Time Dad Battling Midnight Cries and the Fear of Not Being Good Enough.nh1

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“A Closer on the Mound, a Rookie Dad at Home: Clay Holmes and the Fear of Not Being Enough”

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July 2025 — Bronx, New York

When Clay Holmes takes the mound in the ninth inning, Yankee Stadium holds its breath. One-run lead. Bases tense. Holmes, ice in his veins, fires a 98-mph sinker to shut the door. Game over. Yankees win.

But away from the bright lights and roar of the Bronx, in a quiet Manhattan apartment, Holmes is wrestling with something far more personal — not closing out games, but trying to soothe a crying newborn at 3 a.m. while a single, haunting question echoes in his mind:
“Am I good enough to be a father?”

From the Bullpen to Bottles and Burp Cloths

This past May, Clay and his wife Ashlyn welcomed their first child, a daughter named Eden. For many, it’s a joyous, life-affirming chapter. For Holmes, it was also the beginning of an emotional rollercoaster.

“I thought fatherhood would come naturally,” Holmes shared in a candid interview with The New York Times. “But when she’s screaming at 3 in the morning and nothing you do seems to help… you start to wonder if you’re built for this.”

Sleepless Nights After Saves

Holmes remembers a particular night clearly — one where he had just notched his 20th save of the season. The media was buzzing, fans were chanting his name. But by the time he got home near midnight, another challenge awaited.

“She was wide awake, crying, and Ashlyn was exhausted. I picked her up and just tried everything. Rocking, singing, walking. Nothing worked,” Holmes said. “And I felt… helpless.”

The exhaustion piled up quickly. Holmes admits he was running on fumes for weeks. “There were days I went to the ballpark on two hours of sleep, eyes red, body drained — and still had to lock in for that final inning.”

Asking for Help

Eventually, Holmes did something many athletes still shy away from: he asked for help. Specifically, from the Yankees’ mental health team.

“It wasn’t depression. It wasn’t burnout,” he said. “I just needed someone to tell me this is normal — that I’m not broken for struggling.”

Dr. Karen Matthews, the team’s performance psychologist, recalls that first conversation. “Clay didn’t come in as a closer. He came in as a new dad, vulnerable and raw. That kind of honesty is rare — and powerful.”

Teammates Take Notice

Holmes’ openness didn’t go unnoticed in the clubhouse. Teammates began to see a different side of the famously stoic reliever.

“He used to be all business — silent, locked in,” said Gerrit Cole. “Now he’s sharing stories about midnight diaper changes and baby formula techniques.”

Aaron Judge laughed: “Clay’s not just our closer anymore — he’s the white noise machine expert, apparently.”

A Very Human Hero

What struck fans most wasn’t Holmes’ dominance on the mound, but his vulnerability off it. When Ashlyn posted a short TikTok of Clay rocking Eden in his Yankees gear, it went viral — nearly 2 million views and counting.

The top comment?
“I used to think Clay Holmes was a machine. Turns out he’s just a dad trying his best — like the rest of us.”

Redefining Success

By all measures, Holmes is having one of the best seasons of his career. But for him, success now has a different definition.

“Success is putting her to sleep without waking her back up,” he joked. “Or finally mixing formula without spilling half of it.”

Baseball metrics are no longer the only scoreboard in his life.

Learning to Balance Two Worlds

Clay Holmes remains the Yankees’ top closer — consistent, calm, and elite. But behind the scenes, he’s learning how to exist in two very different worlds: one filled with pressure-packed stadiums, and the other filled with lullabies, tiny socks, and baby wipes.

“When you’re on the mound, you’re expected to be perfect,” he said. “But at home? There’s no game plan. No playbook. Just love, patience, and figuring it out — one messy night at a time.”

QUOTABLE:
“I used to think the most pressure I’d ever feel was protecting a one-run lead in the ninth. Turns out, the real pressure is getting a newborn to stay asleep.”
— Clay Holmes

2025 STATS:

  • Saves: 26

  • ERA: 2.19

  • Strikeouts: 61

  • Estimated Nighttime Diaper Changes: “Too many to count” — Clay Holmes