BRADENTON, Fla. -- Clay Holmes' spring is effectively over, as Derek Shelton announced Sunday the right-hander suffered a fracture in his right foot and he will be in a walking boot for the next four to six weeks.
Holmes sustained the injury Saturday night in Fort Myers when he was struck by a Nelson Cruz ground ball. He was removed from the game after facing just one batter and was re-evaluated in Bradenton Sunday.
Holmes had left LECOM Park for the day by the time this news came out and was not available for comment. The Pirates will go into more detail about the injury Wednesday when director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk meets with the media.
This is a major setback for the 26-year-old, who came to camp looking for a spot on the major-league roster. He is out of minor-league options, so he has to make the team or be exposed to waivers.
He will almost certainly start the season on the injured list now, and between that injury stint and the subsequent rehab assignment, the Pirates will have some extra time to make a decision about his future.
Holmes appeared in three games this spring, striking out one and hitting one over 2.1 innings pitched. He has a 2-5 record with a 6.01 ERA over 46 major-league appearances the last two years, but he has a good minor-league track record and was recently regarded as one of the team's better pitching prospects.
The Pirates will start the regular season in Tampa on Mar. 26.
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