Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday the team will get "creative" with the closer role going forward, which could still include Holmes depending on matchups, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Boone avoided explicitly saying that Holmes has been demoted from the closer role, but that's the clear indication even if the right-hander is still somewhat involved. The 31-year-old surrendered a grand slam Tuesday against Texas as he blew his league-leading 11th save of the season, which finally prompted the Yankees to change their approach. Holmes has been fairly effective overall with a 3.27 ERA across 55 innings, but he's allowed a lot of traffic with a 1.33 WHIP and 3.1 BB/9. Boone didn't name any alternative relievers, but Mark Leiter, Luke Weaver and Tommy Kahnle could all be in the mix for saves.