Ron Darling Believes Mets Should Take This Starting Rotation Approach

The New York Mets have a lot of starting pitching options this season, and the conventional thought has been that the team would employ a six-man rotation if everyone gets through spring training healthy. But SNY's Ron Darling, the team's long-time analyst, doesn't think that this would be the best approach to constructing a team.

Ron Darling agrees; Mets should go with 5 man rotation 👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/D3h3pxppg3
— Master Flip 🇩🇴 (@Masterflip_) February 28, 2026

During SNY's spring training broadcast of Mets-Nationals, Darling specifically addressed the idea that the Mets may go with a six-man rotation to accommodate Kodai Senga, who has rarely pitched on four days of rest since joining the team in 2023. Darling's basic premise was the idea that Senga has been around long enough to know what a traditional big league schedule looks like, and that it would be beneficial for the team to have him get with the program and pitch every fifth day.

Thought it was interesting to hear Darling yesterday say Mets should go w/5-man rotation rather than 6 - no more accommodating Senga. Who would be odd man out, barring injury? "The guy who can make the transition to the bullpen." That likely would be either Peterson or Holmes.
— John Harper (@NYNJHarper) March 1, 2026

When asked by play-by-play man Steve Gelbs what the Mets should do if all six of their projected starters (Senga, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean) get through camp healthy, Darling said that whoever can best make the transition to the bullpen should do that. McLean has never worked as a reliever and the Mets didn't acquire Peralta to make him a reliever, so in Darling's scenario one of Manaea, Peterson or Holmes would work in relief.

Would be a tough call. Peterson is intriguing option, partly based on past success in pen, especially in '24 post-season, and partly on hitting a wall last Sept. as innings total of 168 was 40-plus more than prev. high. Holmes, by contrast, finished strong in 1st year as starter. https://t.co/bCg98BnTkJ
— John Harper (@NYNJHarper) March 1, 2026

SNY contributor John Harper weighed in on social media as well, indicating that he would lean towards Peterson or Holmes given their past track records as relievers if the Mets went to a five-man rotation to start the season. Peterson did well as a relief option during the 2024 postseason while Holmes served as the New York Yankees' closer before transitioning to the rotation last season.

What The Mets' Best Rotation Solution May Be

Even though a traditional five-man rotation has been regarded as a superior option since it guarantees more starts for the top starters, the Mets do have the depth to have a six-man grouping work. The Mets also have some questions in their bullpen, which appears a bit thin beyond its top three options of Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, and Brooks Raley, so a six-man rotation could cover up those issues by asking starters to get deeper into games knowing they will have an extra day of rest between starts.

In regards to Senga specifically, he has only started on four days of rest four times in his career, going 1-0 with a 5.09 ERA and 1.93 WHIP. The results with five (15-10 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 35 starts) and six or more (4-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 13 starts) are dramatically better, so the idea of asking Senga to start on four days rest with regularity is not ideal for a statistical perspective.

The answer could lie in a hybrid six-man rotation, where the Mets regularly roll with five starters (for example Peralta, McLean, Holmes, Senga and Manaea) with the sixth option serving as a long man. The Mets can map out their rotation to afford Senga extra days as often as possible while using their sixth starter during long stretches of the schedule without an off day, which could help everyone stay fresh for the long haul.

The schedule does offer some extreme travel for the Mets, who make four separate road trips to the West Coast by mid-June, and that kind of travel can be taxing for a rotation that has had its share of injury issues in the past. A hybrid six-man rotation may be the solution to keep everyone healthy, although there is still a month of spring training left for them to navigate before that possibility becomes more realistic.

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