Mets’ Stearns Backs Peterson, Eyes Kimbrel’s Return to Bullpen

David Peterson’s 2026 season has not started as he had hoped. After making his first All-Star Game last year, the Mets’ left-hander has struggled in his initial outings, with three starts that have yielded disappointing results, including consecutive games where he surrendered five earned runs.

Despite these setbacks, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns remains optimistic about Peterson’s potential to bounce back. “Petey, I’m sure the last two haven’t gone the way he wanted, haven’t gone the way we wanted,” Stearns stated ahead of the team’s series opener against the Athletics on Friday. “But we believe in who he is as a pitcher. He’s a great competitor, and I think he’ll put this past him.”

Over his first three starts, Peterson has allowed 11 runs, 10 of which were earned, in 14.2 innings, resulting in an ERA of 6.14. The Mets have managed to secure only one win in his starts, prompting discussions about his position in the rotation, especially with Sean Manaea having found success in long relief.

Stearns expressed confidence that Manaea will make several starts for the Mets throughout the season, indicating that his contributions do not necessarily hinge on replacing another starter. “My expectation, just based on my experience of how many starters you need over the course of a major league season, is that Sean’s going to make a bunch of starts for us this year,” Stearns said. “He’s very capable of doing that. We’ve seen some progress over the last couple of outings and that’s good to see. I give Sean a lot of credit for understandably being disappointed, but then going down there and helping the team, and he has helped us every time he’s taken the ball down there.”

Manaea began the season in the bullpen due to diminished velocity during spring training, but he has made three appearances, giving up three runs over 9.0 innings. Although his velocity has not yet returned to peak levels, it has shown improvement, and his overall performance continues to trend positively.

When asked about the possibility of veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel joining the team this season, Stearns shared his enthusiasm regarding Kimbrel’s recent rehab assignment. While he did not provide specifics about any potential opt-outs, he was encouraged by Kimbrel’s performance during his outing for Port St. Lucie, where he pitched a clean inning and recorded a strikeout. “Craig threw the ball well yesterday. That was very good to see,” Stearns noted. “We continue to believe he can help us this year; he wants to help us. We have a stable pen so far. We haven’t made a move, but eventually we will. He’s certainly a candidate when we have an opportunity.”

With Manaea providing length and relieving pressure on the bullpen, the Mets’ relievers are currently well-rested and have been performing effectively. However, as Stearns pointed out regarding Manaea, it’s a long season, and Kimbrel’s name is likely to come up sooner rather than later.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.