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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 26: Sean Manaea #59 of the New York Mets reacts after pitching during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field on May 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets will be swapping the roles of two of their left-handed pitchers, Carlos Mendoza announced before Friday night’s series opener against the Marlins. David Peterson, who has made seven starts this season and entered in the fourth inning or earlier in all 12 of his appearances, will be available out of the bullpen beginning on Sunday. Meanwhile, Sean Manaea, who has yet to make a start in 12 appearances while only entering the game in the fourth inning or earlier twice, will return to the rotation (either as a starter or bulk man after an opener).
Manaea has been more effective over the past few weeks, with a 3.09 ERA in 11.2 IP since May 10 representing a marked improvement from his 6.85 ERA in 22.1 IP before then. He has also seen a steady rise in fastball velocity, averaging 91.7 mph on his four-seamer on May 22 in Miami compared with as low as 88.6 mph in an outing earlier this season.
Peterson put together four consecutive solid outings to begin the month, pitching to a 2.50 ERA in 18 IP with 20 K and 16 BB. That positive stretch came to a close on Tuesday, when the Reds pounced on Peterson for six runs and 11 hits in five innings.
Peterson’s splits as a starter and reliever this season are stark, with a 7.56 ERA and .331 opponents batting average as a starter compared with a 2.25 ERA and .247 opponents’ batting average as a reliever. Those numbers are also consistent with his career norms. Across seven seasons, Peterson has a 4.36 ERA as a starter and a 2.51 ERA as a reliever, and that’s not counting his six scintillating appearances out of the bullpen during the 2024 postseason. As much as this move might be a show of faith in Manaea’s abilities, it’s also just as reasonably an acceptance of how best to utilize Peterson in his final year of team control.
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