Mar 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Sean Manaea (59) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Despite teasing the idea of a six-man rotation during spring training, the Mets are not going down that route yet, amidst a busy stretch of nine games in nine days.
“We’re going to stay on turn,” manager Carlos Mendoza said on Wednesday prior to the middle game of the Mets’ three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “I think it’s just keeping guys with their routines. If we need to go that route, we will go, but as I’m sitting here, we’re not planning on going to a sixth man… It’s still early, and we don’t see it as a necessity right now.”
The performance from the suspect corners of the current five-man group has been promising enough to suggest that nothing needs to change. While Clay Holmes has a sterling 1.42 ERA through two starts and Nolan McLean spun a one-hit gem over five innings against the San Francisco Giants, Kodai Senga has rediscovered his elite-level stuff after his mechanics fell out of whack down the stretch last season.
Perhaps the two that have struggled the most are Freddy Perata, who went toe-to-toe with the elements at Citi Field on Tuesday evening and lasted just 4.2 innings, and David Peterson, the lone lefty of the rotation, for now.
That continues to leave Sean Manaea as the odd man out, as the veteran southpaw will remain in the bullpen for the time being. The 34-year-old has been solid enough across two relief outings, allowing one run on five hits in five innings of work with four strikeouts and four walks.
“Nothing changes with his role,” Mendoza said of Manaea. “Ideally, I can use all of his pitches when I need to. But if I need to use him for 35 to 40, we will do it, too.”
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