WASHINGTON, D.C. — The situation in the Mets’ starting rotation is fluid following the loss of Clay Holmes to a fractured fibula, but it will be 24-year-old Zach Thornton who will occupy that opening the first time turn through that spot on Wednesday night.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that the left-hander, the club’s No. 13 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, will be used in some capacity to eat innings against the Nationals in the third game of the series on Wednesday.
The major league debutant could be used as a starting pitcher or behind an opener against the explosive Nationals offense depending on the state of the Mets’ bullpen following the series’ opening two games.
“He earned it the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially at the Triple-A level,” Mendoza said. “We like as a lefty against this lineup, his ability to throw strikes, his pitchability. There was a lot of names. Jonah (Tong) was one of them, obviously, but at the end we decided to go with that.”
Mendoza said the situation is “one outing at a time here,” with the way the Mets’ rotation is currently constructed. Christian Scott is lined up for Monday’s start in the series opener, while Nolan McLean will be penciled in for Tuesday’s action.
The Mets also have Freddy Peralta, who threw Sunday, and have been deploying David Peterson behind an opener. Peterson pitched on Saturday night.
The prevalence of dynamic left-handed hitters in James Wood and CJ Abrams, who have combined to drive in 67 runs in 47 games this season, was a factor in going with the left-hander this time around.
As Thornton is set to pitch for the first time in Major League Baseball, here is what to know about the 24-year-old left-hander:
Control is key for Zach Thornton
Thornton is not going to blow anybody away. The left-hander’s fastball largely sits in the low 90s and he leans heavy on a mid-80s slider and a cutter in the upper 90s.
His control score of 60 grades out as his best asset, and he showcased it last season, boasting a 7.1 strikeout-to-walk rate across 14 starts and 72⅔ innings in High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. He ended up with a 0.81 WHIP on the season.
“A guy that’s going to move the ball around, he’s going to throw strikes,” Mendoza said. “He continues to do that, so he’s going to get an opportunity.
In Thornton’s three seasons of minor league baseball, he has walked 41 batters in 177⅔ innings.
A rapid riser
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound lefty has sailed through the minor league ranks since being drafted in the fifth round of the MLB Draft in 2023.
After an oblique injury ended his 2025 campaign prematurely, Thornton made five starts in Binghamton this season, posting an 0-3 record with a 3.60 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 27 strikeouts in 25 innings. But he was ultimately able to make enough of an impression in two starts for Triple-A Syracuse.
Thornton hurled back-to-back quality starts at the top level of the minor leagues, allowing a combined three earned runs in 12 innings with 13 strikeouts. The last outing was the best as he held Scranton/Wilkes-Barre scoreless in six innings with nine strikeouts.
A spring training impression
While Thornton was not a major league invitee to the Mets’ major league camp in spring training, he faced representative lineups of the Marlins and Blue Jays in Grapefruit League action and excelled.
Thornton threw three scoreless frames against the Marlins, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three on March 9. Six days later against the defending AL champions, the lefty allowed one earned run on four hits with one strikeout in 3⅔ innings.
“He wasn’t afraid. He’s making a start at the big league level, he’s not even in big league camp, and he gets two of them and he did his part,” Mendoza said. “His demeanor, body language and that’s what he’s been doing in the minor leagues.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Who is Zach Thornton? What to know as NY Mets pitcher makes MLB debut