Holmes made his final Grapefruit League start Friday in the Mets’ 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Clover Park, looking every bit the part of a starter. The right-hander threw 5 1/3 innings (six ups), throwing 88 pitches, going twice through the order and then some. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out eight.

When the Mets signed Clay Holmes to a three-year, $38 million contract during the offseason it was with the idea that he could potentially translate from a reliever into a starting pitcher and that plan has paid off immensely so far for New York.

The Mets’ Opening Day starter will be a pitcher with all of four career starts to his name. Right-hander Clay Holmes will start March 27 in Houston, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced Friday, coron