The New York Mets made a fairly unpopular roster move on June 11. Ahead of a matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, the club officially demoted relief pitcher Jonathan Pintaro. The righty has only pitched in three games with the Queens club in 2026, but has posted an impressive 1.35 ERA.
In 6 1/3 innings on the season, Pintaro has allowed just one hit. The hit, however, happened to be a solo home run in the ninth inning on June 10. The pitcher’s lone blemish on the campaign did not affect the outcome of the game, though. The Cardinals were leading the Mets 8-2 when Alec Burleson hit the homer. In total, Pintaro has allowed a .048 batting average against in 2026.
Mets fans immediately questioned the organization’s move. Replies to the club’s social media post regarding the decision were overwhelmingly negative, to put it lightly. New York’s president of baseball operations, David Stearns, likely made the move to have a fresh arm in the bullpen. Pintaro did throw three innings on Wednesday night. Nevertheless, as some pointed out, the Mets do have multiple pitchers in the bullpen with plenty of rest.
In a corresponding move, New York has recalled veteran righty Daniel Duarte to take Pintaro’s place. Duarte featured in just one Major League Baseball game this season and did not allow a run in the outing. The Mexican pitcher has been used as a starter and reliever with AAA Syracuse in 2026. As a result, he could earn a spot start with the Mets soon. Duarte has posted a 3.91 ERA in 23 innings with Syracuse.
New York Mets Could Make Daniel Duarte Face Top Team in Baseball
GettyJonathan Pintaro has only been given limited opportunities with the New York Mets in 2026.
The New York Mets will be looking to avoid a three-game sweep against St. Louis on June 11. New York is set to turn to Christian Scott on the mound for the matchup. With the club’s rotation struggling throughout the current campaign, Scott has become one of the Mets’ most reliable starters. In fact, the righty has posted a 2.50 ERA in eight appearances. He has allowed just one earned run in his last three starts.
Following Thursday’s game, New York will turn to Nolan McLean on June 12. However, the club does not currently have a starting pitcher listed for Saturday, June 13. It is possible that the Mets could start Duarte against the Atlanta Braves on the day. The best team in baseball, however, has a .757 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season. Only two other teams have a better figure.
New York’s Pitching has Been Disappointing This Season
As the New York Mets continue to struggle, there is an increasing likelihood that the club could become sellers at the trade deadline. If so, starting pitcher Freddy Peralta would be their top trade chip. It was recently revealed that the ace has shelved contract discussions until after the 2026 campaign. The revelation could be seen as bad news for New York.
If the Mets do bounce back quickly, starting pitching could be an area of focus at the trade deadline. The Athletic’s Tim Britton recently pointed to the club’s woes on the mound, particularly David Peterson’s. Despite entering the season with a highly rated rotation, it seems as if New York needs some reinforcements.
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