Zach Thornton made a good impression on the Mets in spring training. Jim Rassol / Imagn ImagesMay 18, 2026Updated 4:50 pm EDTThe New York Mets will call up left-hander Zach Thornton to pitch in Wednesday’s game against the Washington Nationals, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Monday. Thornton is taking the rotation spot of Clay Holmes, who fractured his fibula last Friday against the Yankees.The 24-year-old Thornton started the year with Double-A Binghamton before being promoted and making his last two starts at Triple-A Syracuse. Over seven starts this season, he owns a 3.16 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 12 walks in 37 innings.A 2023 fifth-round pick out of Grand Canyon University, Thornton opened eyes during spring training when, called up from minor-league camp, he made two March starts and allowed just one run in 6 2/3 combined innings.Mendoza didn’t commit to starting Thornton, merely saying he would “play a part” in the game. The Mets could use an opener in front of Thornton as they’ve been doing with David Peterson.
The Mets elected to go with Thornton, for whom they’ll have to make room on the 40-man roster, over Jonah Tong, who led all of the minors in strikeouts last season and made five big-league starts down the stretch. Pitching one night before Thornton at Syracuse last week, Tong allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.New York also bypassed right-hander Jack Wenninger, who has compiled a 1.51 ERA in eight starts for Syracuse but who has walked close to 15 percent of opposing hitters — a rate that’s not viable in the majors. (No qualified big-league starter has run a walk rate above 14 percent since 1994.)Mendoza said the Mets are looking at that rotation spot one turn at a time. Thornton, who was ranked No. 7 on Keith Law’s top 20 Mets prospects for The Athletic coming into this season, got the nod this time around in part because Washington’s lineup leans so heavily to the left side.Holmes is likely out until August. Kodai Senga is working his way back from back inflammation. Senga threw three innings of live batting practice in Port St. Lucie on Sunday.With Thornton slated to go Wednesday, Nolan McLean will be kept on regular rest and start Tuesday. The Mets had contemplated giving McLean an extra day during the club’s current stretch of 16 straight days without a day off.
