New York Mets starting rotation off to best start in 40 years

The New York Mets' starting rotation has not performed this well to begin a season in 40 years.

Jun 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) reacts at the end of the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2025 season, the New York Mets' biggest weakness on paper was their starting rotation.

With New York beginning without their ace from last season, Sean Manaea, due to a right oblique strain, as well as not having Frankie Montas (strained right lat), the rotation seemed to be the only roadblock in the Mets' quest for a World Series championship.

Flash forward to June. The Mets are riding high, in first place in the NL East by nearly four games. Their rotation, which still doesn't have both Manaea and Montas, is one reason why the Mets are off to such a great start in 2025. With four starters pitching to a sub-3.00 ERA thus far, the Amazins' haven't seen this much success out of their rotation in a long time.

Entering Sunday, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Griffing Canning and Clay Holmes all had an ERA under three at the 65-game mark of the regular season. The last time the Mets had four starters with an ERA less than three at this point of the season came in 1985. That rotation had the likes of Dwight Gooden, Ron Darling, Sid Fernandez and Ed Lynch, who all had pretty nice careers.

The Mets have four starters with sub-3.00 ERAs through the first 65 games of the season:

🔸 Kodai Senga: 1.59 ERA
🔸 David Peterson: 2.80 ERA
🔸 Griffin Canning: 2.90 ERA
🔸 Clay Holmes: 2.95 ERA

It's the first time the Mets have done that through 65 games since 1985 (Dwight… pic.twitter.com/MwEyNA3NNu

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 8, 2025

Senga and Peterson having great starts to the campaign should not be a surprise, considering Senga is replicating the magnificent rookie season he strung together in 2023 after an injury-plagued year in 2024. Senga's 1.59 ERA in 12 starts is the best mark in the NL. Peterson also continues showcasing that his career year last season was no fluke. Canning and Holmes, however, have been the welcoming surprise for the Mets in 2025.

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After a rough 2024 season with the Los Angeles Angels, going a woeful 6-13 with a 5.19 ERA in 32 games (31 starts), the Mets opted to sign the righty to a one-year, $4.25 million deal during the offseason and it has paid off immensely to this point. In 12 starts, Canning has already matched his win total from all of last year and has pitched to a 2.90 ERA across 59 innings, striking out 57 batters with a WHIP of 1.32.

As for Holmes, whom the Mets signed to a three-year, $38 million deal to convert him to a starter, this addition has also panned out well. After making just four career starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates dating back to 2018, the longtime reliever has easily adjusted to his new role. After Saturday's start against the Colorado Rockies, Holmes is 7-2 in 13 starts, with a 2.95 ERA and 65 strikeouts across an already career-high 73.1 innings.

The rotation has been everything the Mets could have hoped for this season, especially with the ballclub missing two key starters. With Manaea and Montas close to making their long-awaited season debuts, the rotation should only improve as the season rolls on.