Mets Demote Struggling Starter David Peterson, Kodai Senga to Remain in Rotation

Manager Carlos Mendoza explains the decision to use an opener before Peterson and keep Senga despite recent struggles.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 5:59pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of blue, orange, and white, representing the Mets' efforts to address their pitching issues.The Mets' pitching struggles are deconstructed into a fractured, cubist visual metaphor as the team searches for solutions to stabilize their rotation.NYC Today

The New York Mets have decided to remove struggling left-handed starter David Peterson from the rotation, at least temporarily, with manager Carlos Mendoza opting to use a right-handed opener before bringing Peterson in from the bullpen for Sunday's game against the Cubs. Meanwhile, fellow struggling starter Kodai Senga will remain in the Mets' rotation despite his own recent difficulties.

Why it matters

The Mets are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak and need to find solutions to stabilize their starting rotation. Demoting Peterson and keeping Senga in the rotation are attempts by Mendoza and the team's coaching staff to address the issues and get the team back on track.

The details

Peterson has struggled mightily to start the season, posting an 0-3 record and 6.41 ERA across four starts. In his last three outings, he has allowed 14 earned runs in just 14.1 innings of work. Mendoza said the decision to use an opener before Peterson was communicated to the left-hander after his last start, with the goal of creating a more balanced lineup against him. As for Senga, the veteran right-hander had a promising start to the season but has hit a wall in his last two starts, allowing 13 earned runs and four home runs in just 5.1 innings. The Mets have not yet announced when Senga will make his next start.

  • On April 13, Peterson was tagged for four runs on five hits with four walks and seven strikeouts across five innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
  • On Sunday, April 19, the Mets will use an opener before bringing Peterson in from the bullpen against the Cubs.

The players

Carlos Mendoza

The manager of the New York Mets, who made the decision to remove David Peterson from the starting rotation and keep Kodai Senga in the rotation despite his recent struggles.

David Peterson

A left-handed starting pitcher for the New York Mets who has pitched himself out of the rotation, at least temporarily, due to his poor performance to start the season.

Kodai Senga

A veteran right-handed starting pitcher for the New York Mets who will remain in the rotation despite his own recent struggles, including allowing 13 earned runs and four home runs in his last two starts.

Tobias Myers

A right-handed reliever for the New York Mets who will serve as an opener before Peterson pitches out of the bullpen on Sunday.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

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. It was communicated to him after his last outing that there was a chance, but we didn't know until [Saturday]. We needed to see what kind of shape the bullpen was in.”

— Carlos Mendoza, Manager, New York Mets

“I don't think it matters what my reaction is. It matters what the best decision for the team is. We're trying to do everything we can to win games.”

— David Peterson

What’s next

The Mets have not yet announced when Kodai Senga will make his next start in the rotation.

The takeaway

The Mets are making tough decisions with their struggling starting pitchers in an effort to end their 10-game losing streak and get the team back on track. Demoting Peterson and keeping Senga in the rotation, at least for now, show the coaching staff is willing to make changes to address the team's issues, even with veteran players.