Steven Matz and Jon Niese are the only other notable lefty starters the Mets have developed this millennium. Both were/are solid MLB starters, but that’s it. Three left-handed starting pitchers in 26-plus years is nothing to write home about.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by Binghamton Rumble Ponies

That could change soon. The Mets have four lefties in the minor leagues right now who could all be potential MLB pitchers. One already is. That’s still not some staggering number, but even if half of them become productive starters in the next few years, the Mets will have matched 2/3 of the lefties developed since 2000 in about 1/10 of the time.

Jonathan Santucci

The list has to start with Jonathan Santucci. Without a doubt, Santucci has the highest ceiling of the four. The way he’s throwing this year, he has a strong case for the best pitching prospect in the organization. Part of that is due to the regression of Jonah Tong and Jack Wenninger, but Santucci has also earned it.

His ERA is up a little bit, from 3.06 last year to 3.57 this year, but it’s not something I’m overly concerned about. The top priority for Santucci this season was developing his changeup and curveball, something he discussed recently. When new pitches are being worked on live in games, sometimes the overall numbers suffer.

Santucci has said he’s more comfortable with the pitches now, and while there’s no public pitch-tracking data at Double-A to confirm those pitches are performing better, his overall numbers suggest he’s correct. Over his first five starts, Santucci had a 5.57 ERA. Over his next four, his ERA was 4.05. Over his next and most recent eight, it’s 2.54. He also recently struck out a career-high 13 batters in 5 2/3 innings. While he was charged with four earned runs, he didn’t get hit hard; he just fell victim to some soft grounders that found holes and to poor defense behind him.

It’s plausible to think that his improved results have correlated with him getting more comfortable with his changeup and curveball. The same thinking can apply to his walk rate. It’s up from last year, but really only over his first five starts. It makes sense that a pitcher wouldn’t be able to perfectly locate two work-in-progress pitches right away. In that span, it was 19.1%. In 14 starts since, it’s 9.8%. Still up a tad from his 8.5% last year, but it’s pretty negligible.

Lastly, his groundball rate is 52.5%, up 5.7% from 2025. It’s an underratedly important stat for pitchers. It’s the 12th-best among minor leaguers with at least 80 innings pitched, and second-best among those with at least 90 innings pitched. He’s also the only minor league pitcher who has at least 80 innings pitched with a groundball rate over 50% and strikeout rate over 30%. A lot of times, groundballs can correlate with soft-tossers who pitch to contact. That’s not the case with Santucci.

This is a top 100 prospect. He’s not ranked that way yet, but he should be.

Zac Thornton vs. Braves

Zac Thornton

Next up is Zac Thornton, who Mets fans are starting to know well. He’s made four starts for the Mets so far this season, and it looks like he’s going to stick in the rotation. Thornton’s three most recent starts have been triumphs. On July 12, he threw seven shutout innings, five strikeouts and four baserunners—one of the best outings any Mets starter has had this season. On July 21, he threw six more shutout innings with two strikeouts and four baserunners. His 18-inning scoreless streak ended in the first inning of his most recent start, but he still went six innings and allowed just three runs against the Braves’ strong lineup.

At his best, Thornton is a high-floor, low-ceiling arm. His start against the Brewers is evidence of that. The six shutout innings were great, but he only punched out two and gave up some hard contact that just happened to find gloves. He doesn’t throw particularly hard or have standout stuff, but he does throw strikes. (Steve Gelbs on Monday detailed a story about how hard it was for Thornton to not throw strikes when learning to locate outside of the zone.) His Triple-A performance has been a bit up and down this year, but he’s been excellent in his last three big league starts. There’s a good chance he can stick long term as a back-of-the-rotation starter. Being a lefty helps.

Daviel Hurtado

Then there’s Daviel Hurtado, who is without a doubt the most exciting arm the Mets have in the lower levels of the minors. A 21-year-old who was promoted to High-A near the end of May, Hurtado looks like the real deal. His fastball already sits in the mid-90s and his slider in the high-80s, a deadly combination. He has a good curveball, too, and is working on a changeup. Give him some time to finish developing it, and it’s a full starter’s arsenal.

The results have been nuts. In 54 innings across Single-A and High-A, Hurtado has a 2.33 ERA with 58 strikeouts and just 12 walks. His WHIP is 0.83. That’s the fifth-best WHIP among 684 minor league pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched, trailing the likes of Kade Anderson and Ramon Marquez. A lefty who can throw hard and throw strikes? This is someone who should skyrocket up the organization’s top prospects list.

Nicolas Carreno

Lastly, there’s Nicolas Carreno. Another hard-thrower at High-A, Carreno is a little bit behind Hurtado in success, but he’s also almost a year and a half younger. He just turned 20 a month ago. While he’s been up and down so far in Brooklyn, he was dominant in St. Lucie, and his age buys him more than a few mulligans.

His arsenal—a four-seam, sinker and slider—isn’t as deep, but all three pitches are good. The slider is the standout, but both fastballs are strong in their own right. He’s far from a finished product, but there’s something here. The arsenal makes him the most likely of the group to eventually move to the bullpen, but for now, he’s being developed to start. It’s really as simple as he’s a 20-year-old lefty who throws in the mid-90s. That demands attention.

The Mets also just added another lefty, Shane Sdao, in the fourth round of the 2026 MLB Draft. He can run it up to 97 and command his five-pitch arsenal, so there’s considerable upside here.

Lefties are better. All other things being equal, a lefty will have more success than a righty. There has been a drought of lefties in the Mets’ farm system for decades, but the tide is starting to turn.

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The Mets got swept by the Red Sox and invented new ways to lose in all three games. It was a miserable end to what has been a rotten 2026 season so far.

What happens now with the Trade Deadline rapidly approaching remains to be seen. But what is clear is that these Mets aren’t anywhere close to being good enough. That was on full display over the weekend against Boston.

With that, let’s recap everything from the final series of the first half in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down.

Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo

3 UP

THORNTON’S GEM

Zach Thornton gave the Mets a rare reason to be encouraged over the weekend. Making just his third career start, the lefty excelled on Sunday. He tossed seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out five. It was truly an incredible performance by Thornton, who needed just 86 pitches for his masterpiece. Furthermore, he has also allowed just one earned run over his last two starts. While a small sample size, Thornton has flashed a lot of potential. Therefore, he could have a big role to play for this team after the All-Star break.

STEADY PRESENCE 

It looks like Nolan McLean‘s struggles are behind him. The righty was excellent against the Red Sox on Friday night, allowing two unearned runs with two walks and seven strikeouts across six innings. Consequently, McLean has now given up just two earned runs over his last three starts. He’s back to being the reliable anchor of the rotation that the Mets need. More importantly, McLean is pitching like a true ace again.

UNTOUCHABLE

Luke Weaver‘s dominant season continues. The reliever tossed a scoreless inning during Sunday’s series finale, making it 25 consecutive outings without giving up an earned run. That’s incredibly impressive. Weaver has been a real strength all year so far, and he’s remained consistent even with the bullpen struggling as of late. As a result, it wouldn’t be surprising if Weaver gains a lot of interest the closer we move to the Trade Deadline.

Francisco Lindor by Berto Carlo

3 DOWN

FATAL ERROR

Francisco Lindor is not having a fun time of it right now. The shortstop has largely struggled since returning from the IL, and his struggles were compounded on Sunday. With the Mets holding a 2-0 lead in the ninth, and with one out, Lindor had the chance to end the game with a double play. Instead, he fumbled the play badly, leading to Boston tying the game and then winning it in extras. It was yet another sloppy, ugly play by Lindor, who actually had a nice day at the plate. But he continues to make basic mistakes in the field, and that should be a real concern for the Mets.

WHAT NOW?

What do the Mets do with Freddy Peralta? The starter has been a major disappointment in Queens so far, and things don’t look like they will get any better. He was underwhelming on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits but walking five batters. More importantly, Peralta lasted just 4 1/3 innings. It was the third consecutive start in which the righty failed to complete five innings. Now owning a 4.66 ERA on the year, it is hard to figure out what has exactly gone wrong with Peralta this year. And it is also hard to envision his trade value picking up now, leaving the Mets with a potential dilemma.

FALSE HOPE

It turns out the offense was just teasing us after all. After scoring 48 runs in the previous two series combined, the Mets lineup reverted back to type against the Red Sox. They managed just four runs all series, including being shut out for the ninth time this season on Saturday. The entire offense struggled all series, especially in clutch situations. For instance, the Mets went a combined 1-for-24, leaving 21 runners stranded on base. Given how bad the offense has been in 2026, it was fitting that the bats went ice cold in the final series before the All-Star break.

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Figuring out which players will be a key part of the team in 2027 and beyond has to be the priority over these next few months. On Sunday, the Mets got a glimpse of someone who may be a part of that. Zach Thornton was fantastic against the Boston Red Sox, throwing seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts over just 82 pitches – an incredible performance in just his third big league start.

Interim manager Andy Green announced after Sunday’s extra-inning loss that Thornton will remain in the rotation after the All-Star break. After an outing like that, giving him the runway to try and really establish himself at the major league level certainly seems fair. With the current state of the Mets’ rotation, the team is in desperate need of more dependable arms.

Nolan McLean burst onto the scene in 2025, and has been much better of late. Christian Scott has shown quite a bit of promise after missing all of last season through injury. Before fracturing his fibula, Clay Holmes was the team’s best starter, and while his name has been discussed in trade rumors, he has made it clear that he would like to stay. Besides the three of them, the rest of the rotation is filled with question marks.

Freddy Peralta‘s time as a Met has been disappointing, which will likely come to an end before the trade deadline. Kodai Senga has shown flashes, but has never been able to rediscover his form from 2023. While he has been better of late, it’s difficult to say how the team will move forward with Sean Manaea, mainly due to his contract.

The Mets are in search of solutions. If Thornton has a strong second half, he could very well be a part of that. Consecutive quality starts against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Red Sox are impressive. Especially when you consider Thornton has only been given spot starts to this point. With a more defined role, can he maintain that level of performance? It’s something to monitor throughout the second half.

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The New York Mets look to salvage the series against the Red Sox Sunday afternoon before heading into a long, All-Star break. New York is continually struggling to score, as has been the case the last two days. A win Sunday would mean the Mets have gone 3-3 in their last six. A loss means New York enters the All-Star break 17 games below 500.

Mets Lineup

1. A.J. Ewing – CF
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Lindor – SS
4. Eric Wagaman – 1B
5. Carson Benge – RF
6. Tyrone Taylor – LF
7. Luis Torrens – C
8. Brett Baty – 3B
9. Zack Short – 2B

Starting Pitcher: Zach Thornton

Zach Thornton returns to the big leagues. In his first two starts he allowed five runs over 10 1/3 innings from nine hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters.

His second major league start was great holding the Phillies to one run over six innings while striking out seven batters. Since then he has pitched 7 2/3 innings over two outings in Syracuse (Triple-A) allowing three runs, two earned. He was pulled after two perfect innings in his last start a few days ago with five strikeouts, in preparation for Sunday’s big league start.

With Kodai Senfa back in the bullpen, and the potential departure of Freddy Peralta looming via trade, there is room for Thornton to stick around in the big leagues if he does well this afternoon.

Red Sox Lineup

1. Anthony Siegler – 2B
2. Ceddane Rafaela – CF
3. Wilyer Abreu – RF
4. Romy Gonzalez – 1B
5. Caleb Durbin – 3B
6. Andruw Monasterio – SS
7. Jarren Duran – DH
8. Nate Eaton – LF
9. Connor Wong – C

Starting Pitcher: Payton Tolle

Payton Tolle has made 14 starts for the Red Sox totaling 80 1/3 innings with a 3.14 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 1.071 WHIP, and a 129 ERA+. Since the start of June, Tolle has made seven starts pitching 39 innings with a 3.69 ERA and 4.11 FIP.

In three of those starts he has allowed no runs over 19 innings, scattering 10 hits. In the other four starts he has allowed 16 runs over 20 innings. Which version of Tolle will the Mets see Sunday?

The only hitter on the Mets who has seen Payton Tolle is Zack Short (0-for-2, K).

Game Notes

Prior to Sunday’s game the Mets announced the following roster moves:

• LHP Zach Thornton has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.
• RHP Tobias Myers was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse following Saturday’s game.

The remainder of the MLB Draft begins Sunday at 11:00 am ET.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Getting hits with runners in scoring position (RISP). On Friday, the Mets recorded 10 hits but went 0-for-8 with RISP leaving seven runners on base. Saturday, the Mets did it again, going 0-for-8 with RISP and leaving nine on base. The Mets worked seven walks as a team but only mustered three hits.
2. Carson Benge stealing bases. Benge has stolen a bag in three consecutive games and four times in his last five games. His steal on July 7 was his first stolen base since June 18. Benge actually had only two stolen bases the entire month of June. More impressively, Benge hasn’t been caught stealing this month yet, a problem that has plagued the Mets this season.
3. The trade block. It’s still a bit early in the month for the deluge of trades the Mets are heading towards. Relievers on the Mets should almost all be available. A.J. Minter pitched in back-to-back days, so he should be unavailable today. Brooks Raley pitched for the first time since Wednesday yesterday pitching a clean inning. We still haven’t seen Luke Weaver from the start of the week as he continues his strong season. Tyrone Taylor has gone hitless in his last three at-bats over two games, after homering three times in five games. There is a non-zero chance that someone here will not be a Met after the All-Star Break.

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Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Saturday was the ninth time this season they’ve been shut out. New York’s offense was held to just three hits, all singles, against Boston’s bullpen game. While opportunities didn’t come often, when they did, the Mets didn’t do anything with them and couldn’t get a big hit. Freddy Peralta struggled again and did not go past the fifth inning. The Mets are now 40-56 with just one more game to go before the All-Star break.

Another O-for with Runners in Scoring Position

Boston threw a bullpen game against the Mets, starting with Eduardo Rivera. Rivera was impressive with three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings pitched. He held the Mets hitless until the fourth inning when Jorge Polanco singled off of him. In the second inning, Carson Benge started it with a walk and stole second base to put him in scoring position with nobody out. Polanco struck out swinging, Eric Wagaman popped out, and Francisco Alvarez struck out swinging.

Their next best chance came in the bottom of the seventh inning, down 2-0. The Red Sox put in Justin Slaten after Jovani Moran allowed a one-out walk to Wagaman. Alvarez singled to the opposite field to put runners on first and second. Brett Baty struck out looking on a Slaten sweeper on the corner to make it two outs. Bo Bichette, who didn’t start again due to soreness in his knee, went up as a pinch hitter and walked to load the bases. A.J. Ewing, just like with Baty, went down looking on a sweeper as the Mets left the bases loaded.

The Mets had another chance, this time down 4-0, in the bottom of the eighth inning as Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor both walked to start the inning. However, Carson Benge was just a little ahead of a first-pitch cutter from Danny Coulombe and just missed a three-run home run. A Polanco double-play followed it, and that was it for the Mets offense for the day. As a whole, the offense went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and are 0-for-16 in this series.

Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers Struggle Again

The big offseason trade the Mets made for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers was supposed to help the rotation (Peralta) and bullpen (Tobias Myers). Still, on Saturday, the ineffectiveness and disappointment of both reared its ugly head. Peralta only went four innings and struck out six batters. However, he walked five, struggled with control, and could not find the strike zone. He allowed a two-run home run to Andruw Monasterio in the top of the fourth to put Boston up 2-0. He had more long innings and too many 3-2 counts to work with for a quality outing. Peralta walked two and allowed a double in the fifth to load the bases. Andy Green brought in Huascar Brazoban for a physically upset Peralta after he threw 92 pitches.

The Mets turned to Myers in the top of the eighth inning, still down 2-0, after they squandered their bases-loaded chance. Myers got roughed up again right out of the gate. He allowed a single to Caleb Durbin and then Masataka Yoshida roped a home run down the right field line at 104.2 mph to put the Red Sox up 4-0. Myers has now allowed an earned run in eight straight games. It’s worth noting that through the first month of the season, Myers’ ERA was 2.05. Then, on May 6th in Colorado against the Rockies, he allowed four runs on five hits, and he has not been the same since, posting an ERA of 10.23 in that stretch before Saturday’s appearance. His season ERA is now 6.26.

On Deck:

The Mets will look to avoid a sweep before the All-Star Break on Sunday. Zach Thornton will start for the Mets. The Mets offense, who are 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position in this series, will face Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle. The game will start at 1:40 pm EDT and be telecast locally on WPIX and broadcast on WHSQ 880 AM.

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Triple-A

Worcester Red Sox (39-40) 6, Syracuse Mets (42-41) 5 

Box Score

• 1B Ryan Clifford, 1-for-4, BB (.665 OPS)
• 2B Ji Hwan Bae, 2-for-5, 2B, R, K (.786 OPS)
• C Ben Rortvedt, 3-for-5, 2B, RBI, K (.746 OPS)
• CF Nick Morabito, 1-for-5, 2 RBI, 4 K (.790 OPS)

Let’s hope for better days ahead for Clifford, the Mets’ top hitting prospect, who had a nightmare of a June. He went 8-for-81 (.099 batting average) with one home run last month. He will represent the Mets in the Futures Game.

• LHP Zach Thornton (4.54 ERA) 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, (2 ER), 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K, HR
• RHP Ben Simon (2.20 ERA) IP, BB, K

Thornton, 24, awaits his next call to the big leagues. He had a nice start against the Phillies (one-run ball over six innings) his previous time out.

Double-A

Chesapeake Baysox (32-43) 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (29-48) 4

Box Score

• 3B Nick Lorusso, 1-for-4, HR (14), SF, 2 RBI, K (.795 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz, 3-for-5, HR (8), 2B, 2 RBI, K (.682 OPS)
• 2B Nick Roselli, 3-for-4, R (.412 OPS)

Lorusso leads the team in homers, hits and OPS. The 25-year-old from Carmel, N.Y., was a ninth-round pick out of the University of Maryland in 2023.

• RHP Brendan Girton (6.71 ERA) 4 IP, 8 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, K, 3 HR, L

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (32-44) 13, Frederick Keys (46-29) 7

Box Score

• SS Mitch Voit, 1-for-5, HR (10), 2 R, BB, 2 K (.780 OPS)
• RF Yohairo Cuevas, 2-for-3, 2 HR (4), 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB (.590 OPS)
• LF Trace Willhoite, 2-for-5, HR (5), 5 RBI (.682 OPS)
• 2B Yonatan Henriquez, 2-for-5, HR (3), 2 RBI, SB, BB (.542 OPS)

Cuevas has homered in three straight games, a surprising power surge from the 22-year-old who hit two homers in 93 games last season at Brooklyn and St. Lucie and has 17 in 401 career minor-league contests.

• RHP Robert Stock (3.38 ERA) 2 1/3 IP, R, (0 ER), H, BB, 2 K
• RHP Noah Hall (5.63 ERA) 5 1/3 IP, H, 4 BB, 8 K, W

Low-A

Tampa Tarpons (43-34) 6, St. Lucie Mets (35-40) 0

Box Score

• SS Antonio Jimenez, 0-for-4, K (.656 OPS)
• CF Branny De Oleo, 2-for-4, K (.667 OPS)
• 2B Trey Snyder, 1-for-4, SB, K (.567 OPS)

Jimenez is having a hard time at the plate in his first full pro season after being drafted in the third round out of the University of Central Florida. He went 12-for-97 at Brooklyn, was demoted, and hasn’t hit for St. Lucie either. The Mets were held to four hits.

• RHP Jose Guevara (4.50 ERA) 4 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, BB, 5 K, HR, L

Rookie Ball Florida Complex League

FCL Mets (17-24) 2, FCL Nationals (22-19) 0

Box Score

• 3B Vladi Gomez, 1-for-3, R, 2 SB, CS (.954 OPS)

Gomez is tied for the team lead in steals with 24 in 35 games.

• RHP Eris Albino (5.86 ERA) 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K, W

Dominican Summer League

DSL Blue Jays Red (9-13) 7, DSL Mets Orange (13-10) 3

Box Score

• SS Wandy Asigen, 0-f0r-2, BB, K (.400 OPS)
• RF Jhonael Cuello, 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, 2 SB, BB, K (.871 OPS)

Asigen is 16 years old, from the Dominican Republic and the No. 2 ranked international prospect in the 2026 class. His MLB ETA is 2031, per MLB Pipeline, which already ranks him as the organization’s No. 9 prospect. He was playing his second game.

• RHP Randy Guzman (2.70 ERA) 3 IP, 5 ER, 5 H, BB, 3 K, L

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Even after firing manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday, the Mets couldn’t rally under a new voice. Interim manager Andy Green lost two of his first three games in charge in a series loss to the Phillies.

While there were some positives on display, we also saw more of the same old problems that have helped to create the current mess the Mets find themselves in.

New York is now 3-10 over its last 13 games. As a result, the team continues to dig itself an even bigger hole to try and climb out of. If the season isn’t over already, then it is on life support.

On that cheery note, let’s recap everything from the weekend in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP

SOLID RELIEF 

Kodai Senga flashed a little something in his first outing out of the bullpen on Sunday. He also showed why he’s struggled in the rotation so much. Let’s get the bad out of the way. With the Mets leading by one run in the seventh, Senga threw a very hittable fastball to Kyle Schwarber. The result? Schwarber mashed it over the fence to give the Phillies a lead they never gave up. It was a fatal mistake. However, before that, Senga proved effective over five innings of bulk relief. He struck out four while allowing just two earned runs on four hits with one walk. He was effective with his forkball and largely did a good job of shutting down the Phillies’ offense outside of that lone mistake. There could be something there to work with.

GREAT SECOND IMPRESSION

Making just his second career start in the big leagues, Zach Thornton certainly impressed on Friday night. He allowed just one earned run over six innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. He gave the Mets much-needed length and also provided his team every opportunity to win the game. That’s all you can ask out of a starting pitcher. Granted, it is only one outing, but Thornton certainly showed that he has the skill set needed to force his way into this rotation at some point.

UN-HITTABLE 

Of all the failed moves by David Stearns this past offseason, Luke Weaver is the one working out. The reliever has been stellar for the Mets so far, pitching to a 2.06 ERA on the year. Furthermore, Weaver has been unhittable as of late. Literally. He hasn’t allowed a run to score in 23 consecutive innings. You’d have to go all the way back to the end of April for the last time Weaver gave up a run. That’s pretty incredible.

Jun 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets interim manager Andy Green (center) stands in the dugout with bench coach Kai Correa (left) and third base coach Tim Leiper during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

NO MAGIC WAND

People hoping for a spark with a new voice in the dugout will probably be disappointed. The Mets dropped two of interim manager Andy Green’s first three games in charge. And, in doing so, we saw exactly why this team is where it is. I’m not convinced we’ll see much of an improvement in results, even with a change of manager. For instance, the Mets have now lost eight of nine and 10 of their last 13. That’s bleak. Plus, the offense is still a hot mess, and the starting rotation is still in absolute shambles. While it was the right decision to move on from Carlos Mendoza, I’m not sure we’re going to see the same dramatic uptick in fortunes as the Phillies did when they made a change in the dugout.

EASING IN DOWNFALL

Look, on the face of it, easing Francisco Lindor back in makes sense. He missed a lot of time, and it would be foolish to overload him straightaway. That said, the decision to give Lindor a complete day off on Sunday proved costly. Arguably so at least, anyway. A man short on the bench, and in a close game, not having Lindor available really hindered the offense. Ronny Mauricio popped out with the bases loaded in the eighth, which would have been an ideal spot for Lindor to come in to try and change the game. It would have been smart to at least have him on the bench as an option for later in the game.

NOT TAKING CHANCES

The offense continues to frustrate at a high level. During the series finale on Sunday, the lineup went just 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position, leaving a whopping 14 runners stranded on base. Mauricio, Francisco Alvarez, Bo Bichette, and Eric Wagaman all whiffed in a big spot with runners on. It was a similar story on Friday in the series opener. The Mets managed just one run in that game, with the entire lineup struggling to get anything going. The inability for this offense to come up with the big hit is really quite alarming.

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Instead, Thornton escaped trouble with a pair of strikeouts sandwiched around a diving play by Jared Young on a sharp grounder down the first-base line.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“You have to be pleased with the pitching tonight,” interim manager Andy Green said after the Phillies extended the Mets’ losing streak to seven with a 2-1 win in front of 39,077.

“Zach Thornton was really good. Especially talking about a young kid who gets barrelled up three consecutive times, gets to a mound visit and settles in and gives us six great innings.”

Thornton allowed one run on five hits, struck out seven, and walked one in his second career start. It was just the third time this season a Met threw at least six innings, struck out at least seven, and allowed one run or less. He held his own against ace Zack Wheeler, who threw seven innings of one-run ball and fanned five.

“He mixed effectively,” Green said. “I think he really attacked angle in with the heater on righties well. That speeds guys up and lets all of his stuff play. On the lefties, he pitched (Kyle) Schwarber carefully, probably rightfully so, as the game wore on. But I thought for the most part, the rest of the guys, he really attacked, he went after aggressively. I think that’s what you’re looking for in a young guy.”

Thornton pumped his fist after striking out Brandon Marsh to end the sixth on his 78th and final pitch. He got him swinging on an 85 mph cutter. He threw 54 strikes and left with the game tied at 1-1.

Thornton gave up four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings on May 20 in his big-league debut in Washington. The 24-year-old is ranked the team’s No. 12 prospect on MLB Pipeline. He was taken in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

“I got the nerves out in the first game, but now it’s just kind of come here and compete,” Thornton said.

Added Green: “I think we’ve known that that was inside of him and who he is and who he’s shown himself to be at every level. I think it was good, on this stage, for everybody to see that from him.”

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The Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday, ending his tenure at the helm of the club at two-and-a-half years. He finished 206-199. Former Padres manager Andy Green took over as interim manager for the remainder of the season, and a full search for a new manager will occur in the offseason.

Photo by Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mendoza released a statement following his firing, thanking the Cohens, David Stearns, and the fans for his experience.

The first game in the post-Mendoza era ended in a 2-1 Mets (34-48) loss to the Phillies (46-36). It was the seventh-straight loss for the Mets despite a fantastic start from Zach Thornton (6 IP, ER).

MLB legend Albert Pujols confirmed that he has interest in the now-open Mets managerial position during an appearance on MLB Network. He praised the Mets as a team that has an owner who wants to spend money and win.

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The Angels fired general manager Perry Minasian and brought in former Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak as a consultant.

The Blue Jays designated pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment.

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We react to the firing of Carlos Mendoza in the latest MMO Roundtable.

Patrick Glynn recaps David Stearns’ comments regarding Carlos Mendoza’s firing, the state of the team, and his own job security.

On This Date in Mets History

2012: The Mets defeated the Cubs 17-1, completing a home run cycle as a team. The Mets hit one solo homer, one two-run homer, one three-run homer, and one grand slam.

Born On This Date: Abraham Almonte (1989), Chris Woodward (1976), Ricardo Jordan (1970), Jeff Conine (1966)

The post Morning Briefing: Andy Green to Manage Mets for Remainder of Season appeared first on Metsmerized.

Zach Thornton and the Mets (34-48) took on the Phillies (46-36) in their first game since the firing of Carlos Mendoza. The first game of the series went the same way as the first half of the season went: a 2-1 loss, their seventh in a row.

Thornton was rudely greeted by the Phillies, who scored a run after tallying three straight hits on six pitches to take an early lead in the first inning. However, a diving play by Jared Young saved the young left hander, who allowed just the one run in the frame.

The Mets came to bat in the bottom of the first inning, with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor both in the lineup. After Carson Benge singled off of former Met Zach Wheeler to begin the game, Soto hit a ball that would have cleared the wall by about two feet. Unfortunately for him, Derek Hill made an unbelievable catch, bringing back what would have been a home run. A Bo Bichette strikeout and a Lindor flyout ended the inning, with the Phillies leading 1-0 after one.

After the chaotic first inning, Thornton settled in, working five-straight run-less innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bichette doubled down the line to lead off the inning. After Lindor grounded out to the right side to advance the runner, Young singled Bichette in, trying the game. After four innings, the game was tied 1-1.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Thornton was replaced by Huascar Brazobán in the top of the seventh inning after six spectacular innings. Thornton’s final line was 6 IP, 5 H, R, ER, BB, 7 K. 

Unfortunately, Brazobán would not have the same success as Thornton, allowing a run and giving the Phillies a 2-1 lead. The inning would not get out of control, however, thanks to another good play by Young, and the score stayed at 2-1 leading into the bottom of the seventh.

Cionel Pérez replaced Brazobán in the top of the eighth inning. The left-hander came out throwing as hard as he has as a Met, touching 99 mph multiple times, while working a scoreless inning.

After the Mets once again failed to score in the bottom of the eighth inning, Pérez stayed on for a second inning of work. The ninth went the same way as the eighth: yet another scoreless inning, keeping the Mets in the game.

Unfortunately, the Mets failed to score for the fifth straight inning, despite a two-out single by Lindor, losing their seventh straight game in the process.

Player of the Game: Zach Thornton

It was a wonderful start for Thornton in his return to the big leagues on Friday. His only other major league appearance on May 20, which saw the young left-hander allow four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings, a far cry from his excellence against a dangerous Phillies lineup. With David Peterson being traded to the Cubs and Kodai Senga being moved to the bullpen, an opportunity has opened for Thornton, and he capitalized. After his strong performance, there is no reason why he would not start the next time around the rotation.

On Deck

The Mets will resume action on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. EST in the middle contest of the three-game set against the Padres. There is not a starter announced for the game at this point. The game will stream live on SNY, with radio on WCBS 880, and the Audacy app.

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