Report: Mets to recall LHP Zach Thornton

Thornton earns a ticket back to the minors with Christian Scott coming off the injured list. The 24-year-old rookie struck out seven and allowed one run over six innings during a no-decision against the Phillies on Friday night. He figures to get an extended opportunity in New York’s rotation in the second half, especially if they remain out of playoff contention, but he’s going to have to wait for now.

Things did not start out well for Thornton here. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper greeted him rudely with three consecutive hits to score a run. Then, first baseman Jared Young bailed him out with an excellent diving play to save multiple runs. From there, it was smooth sailing. He allowed just three more baserunners after the Phillies’ initial flurry and forced 13 swings-and-misses. His cutter was the star of the show as his primary pitch to both righties and lefties and he commanded it quite well. This successful audition likely puts him in position to remain in the Mets’ rotation. If so, he’s in for a tough test against the Braves in Atlanta.

Thornton will make his second big-league start tonight against the Phillies. He gave up four runs over 4 1/3 innings in his debut against the Nationals last month, and he had a 4.25 ERA and a 56/23 K/BB in 55 innings as a starter in Triple-A.

All signs point to Jonah Tong sticking around for another turn in New York’s rotation after tossing three scoreless frames in his season debut on Friday night. Thornton heads back to the minors after allowing four runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Nationals in his big-league debut earlier this week. The unheralded 24-year-old control artist figures to get another chance when injuries or ineffectiveness create an opportunity later this season.

It was impressive to see how Thornton settled in during his big league debut. CJ Abrams greeted him rudely with a three-run home run in the first inning on a cutter that didn’t do much cutting. The Nationals scratched across another run in the second after Thornton walked Nasim Nuñez who then stole second base, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a hit by Keibert Ruiz. After that, he retired eight consecutive batters until Ruiz came up again and doubled. Thornton leans on his cutter – which has been tagged as a slider in some places – that he mostly spotted well running in on right-handed batters along with his fastball. On the other hand, he didn’t really have a put-away pitch so the Nationals were able to really zero-in on that cutter. If he sticks in the Mets rotation for another turn, he’d likely face the Reds at home next week.

The 24-year-old Thornton will be making his major league debut in a start against the Nationals tonight. The 2023 fifth-round pick had a 3.16 ERA and a 40/12 K/BB in 37 innings over seven starts for Syracuse.

The youth movement continues in Queens. Mendoza wouldn’t fully commit to Thornton making a traditional start, but he’ll factor into their pitching plan this week. The 24-year-old southpaw earns his first promotion to the majors after posting a strong 3.16 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 40/12 K/BB ratio across 37 innings between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season. Thornton offers some streaming appeal in deeper mixed leagues but he’s unlikely to generate enough volume to be an impactful option in shallow fantasy formats.

A few Mets content creators have suggested a similar idea, so it’s worth exploring. Thornton, a 24-year-old left-hander, last pitched on Friday, so his next start would line up with when Holmes’ spot in the rotation is due. Thornton has also pitched to a 3.16 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 40/12 K/BB ratio in 37 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A this season. With Jonah Tong really struggling in Triple-A this season and Jack Wenninger posting a nearly 15 percent walk rate at Triple-A, Thornton might be the safest option for the Mets. As a low-velocity left-hander with a plus slider and a true five-pitch mix, Thornton would only be a fantasy option in the deepest formats.