Sunday, July 13, 2025 • 2:50 pm ET
Kauffman Stadium • Kansas City, MO
RHP Clay Holmes (8-4, 3.29) vs. LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.56)
WPIX

The New York Mets go for a sweep this afternoon to end the first half of the season.

Juan Soto hit a two-run home run Saturday and that was pretty much all the Mets needed as they held on and beat the Kansas City Royals, 3-1. Manager Carlos Mendoza went all out, pushing his closer, Edwin Díaz, to get a six-out save. Sunday, the Mets should be able to give most of the bullpen the day off as Clay Holmes will be followed by Sean Manaea’s 2025 debut.

Mets Lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Mark Vientos – DH
  3. Juan Soto – RF
  4. Pete Alonso – 1B
  5. Brandon Nimmo – LF
  6. Ronny Mauricio – 3B
  7. Tyrone Taylor – CF
  8. Luis Torrens – C
  9. Luisangel Acuña – 2B

Clay Holmes gets the start Sunday, looking to end the first half of the season on a high note. Over 18 starts (98 1/3 innings), he has a 3.29 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 1.261 WHIP, and a 116 ERA+. Holmes is coming off of a rough start against the Baltimore Orioles where he allowed five runs over five innings from seven hits. Before that start, Holmes allowed only eight runs over 26 innings spread over five games (2.77 ERA).

The Royals hit him well in 2024, scoring three runs off of five hits over 1 2/3 innings against Holmes. The Royals have the following career numbers against him:

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Royals Lineup

  1. Jonathan India – 2B
  2. Bobby Witt Jr. – SS
  3. Vinnie Pasquantino – 1B
  4. Maikel Garcia – 3B
  5. Salvador Perez – C
  6. Jac Caglianone – RF
  7. John Rave – LF
  8. Freddy Fermin – C
  9. Kyle Isbel – CF

The Mets’ bats will close out the first half against rookie Noah Cameron. Cameron is off to a fine start to his major-league career posting a 2.56 ERA, 3.89 FIP, 0.963 WHIP, and a 160 ERA+ over 11 starts (63 1/3 innings). He’s been great in July allowing only two runs over 11 2/3 innings while striking out 12 batters. He was more human in the month of June allowing 13 runs over 20 innings stretched over four starts, mostly due to allowing four home runs. The Royals will need Cameron to go deep in today’s game after yesterday’s surprise bullpen game with Michael Lorenzen being a late start due to illness. Cameron can provide that length, going seven innings in his last start and going at least six innings in six of 11 starts this season.

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday’s game, the Mets announced they reinstated left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea from the 60-day injured list. In the corresponding move, they optioned right-handed reliever Austin Warren to Triple-A Syracuse.

Prior to Sunday’s game, it was confirmed that right-handed relief pitcher Max Kranick will be visiting an orthopedic surgeon and Tommy John surgery is under consideration.

The Kansas City Royals announced that Sunday’s game will begin in a rain delay. They followed that up confirming the estimated start time is 2:50 pm ET.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Sean Manaea’s 2025 Debut. Manaea has been sidelined since spring training with an oblique injury followed by an elbow injury while rehabbing. Manaea was the ace of the Mets’ staff for stretches in 2024, especially when he dropped his arm slot and changed his delivery. Over 32 starts (181 2/3 innings), Manaea had a 3.47 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.084 WHIP. and a 111 ERA+. In his last rehab start, he allowed three runs from four hits over 3 2/3 innings getting up to 73 pitches. The Mets are counting on Clay Holmes and Manaea to carry the pitching staff today.
  2. Juan Soto. Juan Soto continued being Juan Soto on Saturday, going 1-for-4 with a two-run home run. It was his second-straight game with a home run and his third straight with an RBI. Soto has a 4.1 bWAR, a league-leading 77 walks, and is tied for seventh in the league with a .915 OPS. His 163 OPS+ is the fourth-highest of his career.
  3. The Mets are stealing more bases. Francisco Lindor stole his 15th base of the season on Saturday. Earlier this week, Juan Soto stole his 11th base, just putting him one shy of his single-season best 12 stolen bases in a single season. As a team. the Mets have 74 stolen bases, tied with the Marlins for 11th in majors. The Mets were 16th in the league in 2024, 13th in 2023, and 23rd in 2022.