exclusive New York Mets Zac Thornton tells The Post about the Mets’ promising pitching core — and the Tarik Skubal prize he wants By Mike Puma Published Oct. 13, 2026, 8:16 p.m. ET New York Mets pitcher Zac Thornton (49) pitches in the first inning when the New York Mets played the Philadelphia Phillies Friday, September 18, 2026 at Citi Field in Queens, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post Zac Thornton canvassed the clubhouse just before the Mets concluded their final homestand this season and wasn’t impressed.
To be impressed, he would have had to be surprised, and watching teammates such as Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Jonah Tong through their early development, he understood such potential existed. Thornton is part of that unit, helping to form the nucleus of an emerging rotation.
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“It’s awesome to see everybody’s success up here,” Thornton told The Post. “It’s cool just because we have been together in the offseasons in November down in Florida. We have been to the strength camps, we’ve been to the pitching camps that the Mets do a great job of setting up. So it’s just cool to see everybody’s work kind of flourish and just let everybody go do their thing on the field.”
McLean, a National League Rookie of the Year candidate after a season in which he posted a 3.16 ERA in 31 starts with 194 strikeouts in 179 ²/₃ innings, has the highest ceiling in the group.
