Mets Shake Up Rotation, Demote Peterson

Mendoza opts for opener as Peterson moves to bullpen role

Apr. 19, 2026 at 7:16pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery broken down into sharp, angular geometric shapes and planes in muted tones of blue, green, and brown, conceptually representing the Mets' efforts to rework their pitching rotation.The Mets' rotation shuffle aims to get struggling pitcher David Peterson back on track through a new bullpen role.Chicago Today

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has decided to remove starting pitcher David Peterson from the rotation, at least temporarily, after a string of poor outings. Mendoza will instead use a relief pitcher as an 'opener' before bringing in Peterson out of the bullpen for Sunday's game against the Cubs in Chicago.

Why it matters

The Mets' starting rotation has been a source of concern early in the season, with Peterson struggling to find consistency. Mendoza's decision to shake up the rotation shows the team is willing to make bold moves to address issues and find the right mix of pitchers to keep the team competitive.

The details

Mendoza said the team had been considering using an opener or moving Peterson to a different role after his last outing. The manager opted to give reliever Tobias Myers the start, with Peterson following him out of the bullpen, as the Mets look to get the left-hander back on track.

  • The Mets will implement the new rotation plan for Sunday's series finale against the Cubs in Chicago.

The players

Carlos Mendoza

The manager of the New York Mets.

David Peterson

A left-handed starting pitcher for the New York Mets who has struggled early in the season.

Tobias Myers

A relief pitcher for the New York Mets who will serve as the 'opener' before Peterson pitches out of the bullpen.

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What they’re saying

“We knew there was a possibility that we were going to go either with an opener or someone in front of Peterson right after his last outing.”

— Carlos Mendoza, Manager, New York Mets

What’s next

The Mets will evaluate Peterson's performance in the new bullpen role and determine if he will return to the starting rotation at a later date.

The takeaway

The Mets are taking a proactive approach to address issues in their starting rotation, showing a willingness to make changes and try new strategies to get the most out of their pitching staff and keep the team competitive.