Mets May Need to Manage Their Young Starters' Innings Down the Stretch

As the New York Mets wind down the season, one of the most interesting things for fans to watch has been the development of their young starting pitchers. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton occupy three of the five spots in the Mets' rotation, giving fans a potential glimpse at a brighter future.

Developing young pitchers is always a tricky exercise, as the rigors of a 162-game season are very tough to navigate, especially the first time through for a pitcher. Many teams treat younger pitchers with kid gloves, giving them manageable workloads year-to-year to try to mitigate the risk of injury.

This balancing act could be challenging for the Mets, who need to figure out which pitchers should fit into their 2027 rotation, giving them as many big-league opportunities as possible. The answer to this problem, however, should come on a case-by-case basis.

Which Mets starters could face innings limit concerns?

The good news for Mets fans is that McLean, who would be the ace of the 2027 team right now, is in little jeopardy of a potential shutdown. McLean threw 161.2 combined innings between the majors and minors in 2025, giving him a good foundation to build on entering the 2026 campaign.

Following Sunday's start in Chicago, where McLean tossed six shutout innings of 1-hit ball, he is up to 148.2 innings pitched in 26 starts. Even if McLean averages six innings for another seven starts, which is the maximum he would likely get in the regular season, he would finish with 190.2 innings pitched, a very reasonable jump.

However, the pitcher who could be in immediate danger of a shutdown is Thornton, who likely needs more time to demonstrate why he should be handed a rotation spot given his lack of plus stuff. Thornton has already tossed 113 combined innings between the majors and minors, a jump of over 41 innings compared to the 72.2 he threw in 2025.

Another intriguing case involves Scott, who is in his first full season following Tommy John surgery. Scott has thrown 103 combined innings this season, which is slightly ahead of the 89.1 he threw in his last full season in 2024.

How should the Mets manage the innings for their starters?

Barring injury, McLean should be good to go to finish the season in the rotation. The Mets will likely consider shutdowns soon for Thornton and Scott, but determining when is a balancing act since they want to prepare them for a full season's workload in 2027.

One way to stall that decision would be to add a sixth starter to the rotation in September, which could reduce the number of starts Thornton and Scott make while giving them extra rest between turns. One candidate to fill that role once rosters expand is Jonah Tong, who is awaiting an extended big-league opportunity to showcase if he can fill a rotation spot next season.

Tong, who is already on the 40-man roster, is in a decent position innings-wise. He has thrown 110 combined innings between AAA Syracuse and the Mets this year. With a baseline of 131.2 innings set last season, Tong is a safe bet to finish the year in Flushing to pad out his innings a bit.

Another consideration could be prospect Jack Wenninger, who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter. Wenninger has spent time on the development and injured lists this season, which leaves him at 101.1 innings pitched so far, giving him room to jump past his previous career high of 135.2 set last season.

The smart money suggests the Mets will shut down Thornton and Scott at some point, finishing the season with a rotation featuring McLean, Tong, Wenninger, Sean Manaea, and Robert Stock. Going with a six-man rotation could prolong their seasons a bit, but there is no reason to go full throttle on the accelerator on all of their young pitchers in a season that isn't going to end with a playoff push.

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