![\"Zach](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28509327-1024x683.jpg\")
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Zach Thornton made a good impression on the Mets in spring training. Jim Rassol \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The New York Mets will call up left-hander Zach Thornton to pitch in Wednesday\u2019s game against the Washington Nationals, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Monday. Thornton is taking the rotation spot of Clay Holmes, who fractured his fibula<\/a> last Friday against the Yankees.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old Thornton started the year with Double-A Binghamton before being promoted and making his last two starts at Triple-A Syracuse. Over seven starts this season, he owns a 3.16 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 12 walks in 37 innings.<\/p>\n A 2023 fifth-round pick out of Grand Canyon University, Thornton opened eyes during spring training when, called up from minor-league camp, he made two March starts and allowed just one run in 6 2\/3 combined innings.<\/p>\n Mendoza didn\u2019t commit to starting Thornton, merely saying he would \u201cplay a part\u201d in the game. The Mets could use an opener in front of Thornton as they\u2019ve been doing with David Peterson.<\/p>\n The Mets elected to go with Thornton, for whom they\u2019ll have to make room on the 40-man roster, over Jonah Tong, who led all of the minors in strikeouts last season and made five big-league starts down the stretch. Pitching one night before Thornton at Syracuse last week, Tong allowed seven runs in 1 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n New York also bypassed right-hander Jack Wenninger, who has compiled a 1.51 ERA in eight starts for Syracuse but who has walked close to 15 percent of opposing hitters \u2014 a rate that\u2019s not viable in the majors. (No qualified big-league starter has run a walk rate above 14 percent since 1994.)<\/p>\n