Carlos Mendoza Finalizes Mets’ Starting Rotation

With just five days left until the New York Mets’ Opening Day, difficult decisions are being made to finalize rosters. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced the team’s starting rotation on Saturday, and there is one notable exception.

“You ready?” Mendoza asked reporters before he rattled off the rotation. “(David) Peterson game two, Nolan (McLean) game three, Clay Holmes, and (Kodai) Senga.”

Carlos Mendoza announces the Mets' rotation to begin the season

🔸 Thursday, March 26 : Freddy Peralta
🔸 Saturday, March 28: David Peterson
🔸 Sunday, March 29: Nolan McLean
🔸 Monday, March 30: Clay Holmes
🔸 Tuesday, March 31: Kodai Senga pic.twitter.com/6HIwzCYTqe
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2026

We knew that Freddy Peralta would be getting the nod on Opening Day. The team’s new ace will lead the Mets’ rotation as the two sides continue to work on a contract extension. On Friday, Mendoza announced that star prospect Nolan McLean would get the ball in the team’s third game of the year. This left the second, fourth, fifth, and potentially sixth game of the year up for grabs.

Game two against the Pittsburgh Pirates will go to southpaw David Peterson, who was up-and-down last year. He has made two starts so far this spring with varying results. His last appearance against the Washington Nationals saw him allow five hits and four earned runs in four innings. This elevated his spring ERA to 5.63.

The fourth game of the year will go to Clay Holmes, who is fresh off representing Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. Holmes is a converted reliever who started last year hot but faded down the stretch. The Mets were often forced to use another pitcher to piggyback starts with Holmes down the stretch last season. In year two of his transition to a starter, Holmes is looking to be a contributor for the full 162 games and playoffs.

Kodai Senga will start game five of the Mets' season. Senga has struggled with injuries the past two seasons. But he silenced those rumors with a stellar Spring Training, posting a 1.86 ERA and 0.724 WHIP in three games. He struck out eleven batters while only walking one in 9.2 innings of work.

The Mets plan to use Sean Manaea in a piggyback role to begin the season

Carlos Mendoza explains the decision: pic.twitter.com/xvzevk06Q2
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 21, 2026

This leaves Sean Manaea on the outside looking in to start the season. When asked about the veteran lefty’s role, Mendoza was non-committal about him being a starter to begin the year.

“So we are going to use him (Manaea) on a piggyback tandem. But we’re not necessarily going to announce which game he is going to be pitching.”

The Mets are not committed to having Sean Manaea start a game early this season. They will go at least two turns through the rotation before considering him. Then they'll see. https://t.co/JJ4YMciSIR
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 21, 2026

Mendoza explained that the Mets made the decision early in camp, especially with the team having the luxury of six strong starters. The likely candidates for Manaea to piggyback with to start the year are Holmes or Senga. The Mets will probably want to provide them with ample opportunity to rest this season.

“Six guys throwing the ball pretty well, and we were pretty honest with all of them at the beginning of camp. If everyone were healthy, we’d have to make some tough decisions, and one of them was going to be pitching in that type of role.”

The Mets’ manager did go on to say that Manaea would start games at some point this season, but that the way the schedule lines up, they did not see the need for a six-man rotation. No matter how it is spun, it is clear that Manaea’s drop in velocity this spring and his struggles last season played a role in the Mets’ decision on the rotation to start the year.

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