Darren Holmes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for several teams during his career. He was born on April 25, 1966, in Asheville, North Carolina, and attended high school in Swannanoa, North Carolina. After graduating, he attended Western Carolina University, where he played college baseball.
Holmes was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 1984 MLB draft. He spent several years in the Dodgers' minor league system before making his major league debut with the team in 1990. However, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers later that year.
Over the course of his career, Holmes played for several teams, including the Brewers, Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, and Atlanta Braves. He was primarily used as a relief pitcher, although he did make some starts early in his career.
Holmes was known for his fastball, which could reach speeds of up to 98 miles per hour. He also had a slider and a changeup in his repertoire. He was a reliable pitcher who could be counted on to get outs when needed.
One of the highlights of Holmes' career came in 1995, when he was a member of the Colorado Rockies. That year, the Rockies made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Holmes played a key role in the team's success, appearing in 54 games and posting a 2.51 ERA.
Holmes retired from baseball in 2003, after 13 seasons in the major leagues. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 557 games, posting a 35-33 record with a 4.25 ERA. He struck out 546 batters in 712 innings pitched.
After retiring from baseball, Holmes became a pitching coach. He worked in the minor leagues for several years before joining the Colorado Rockies as their bullpen coach in 2015. He held that position for three seasons before being let go by the team in 2018.
Overall, Darren Holmes had a successful career as a major league pitcher. He was a reliable reliever who could be counted on to get outs when needed. He played for several teams over the course of his career, but is perhaps best known for his time with the Colorado Rockies, where he played a key role in the team's success in 1995.
⚾