Zach Thornton’s path to the big leagues has been a winding one. Born January 17, 2002, in Winona, Minnesota, the 6-foot-3 lefty played high school baseball at Lawrence Free State in Kansas, then attended Barton Community College before transferring to Grand Canyon University. In his lone Division I season, he logged a 3.87 ERA over 88 1/3 innings, striking out 91 while walking 18.
The Mets drafted Thornton in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, 159th overall, signing him for $350,000, below the slot value. He did not pitch that summer. He made his pro debut in 2024, progressing through St. Lucie and Brooklyn before a standout 2025 stretch that saw a 1.98 ERA across 72.2 innings between Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. His season was cut short by an oblique injury.
Thornton was first called up by the Mets on May 20 to start against the Washington Nationals, chosen over higher-ranked prospects. Then-manager Carlos Mendoza explained the decision, highlighting Thornton’s left-handed angle against the lineup, his ability to throw strikes, and his overall pitchability. Mendoza was later replaced by interim manager Andy Green.
The Mets currently sit at 40-55, and their rotation has been hampered by a combination of injuries and underperformance. Freddy Peralta has posted a challenging season, Sean Manaea has moved into relief roles, Kodai Senga was shifted to the bullpen after a rough start, and David Peterson was traded to the Cubs. Green’s staff is seeking a pitcher who can limit walks and provide reliable innings, a niche Thornton’s polish appears to fit as a fill-in option.
Thornton has shown dependability, too. Since the start of last season, he has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 19 of 21 starts and most recently completed two flawless innings with five strikeouts in Syracuse — a bullpen-friendly emphasis that the Mets have needed amid the rotation workload.
His mix of pitches is not dominated by one elite offering. Analyst assessments describe a five-pitch repertoire anchored by a mid-80s slider, complemented by two fastball variants in the low-to-mid-90s, plus a curveball and an occasional changeup. The strength lies in locating all of them effectively, a trait particularly valuable for a team asking a lot from its pitching staff.
Facing the Red Sox presents a challenge beyond Thornton’s control in terms of left-handed pitching. Boston leads all of baseball in OPS against left-handed pitching this season, at .786, according to team-splits data.
On the Red Sox side, Eduardo Rivera is slated to start the game for Boston. Rivera’s appearance marks a rare left-handed starter for Boston in this matchup.
The Mets’ roster and rotation picture remain in flux as they approach the later stages of July. Thornton’s recall provides a chance for a measured, strike-throwing presence who can stabilize the innings in the absence of a fully healthy, high-strikeout arm lineup.
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