Zac Thornton, who had been a bright spot for the New York Mets during a challenging season, experienced a significant setback on Saturday, giving up four home runs in a 9-5 defeat to the San Francisco Giants. This outing marked Thornton's worst start in his major league career, as Giants batters capitalized early in the count.
Thornton allowed a total of six runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out six batters over five innings. This performance starkly contrasted with his previous outings, where he had surrendered a total of seven home runs over his first 61 ⅓ innings pitched. The rare clunker has cast uncertainty on his potential role with the team next season, an audition he has largely been capitalizing on throughout the latter half of the current season.
Rafael Devers and Christian Koss were particularly effective against Thornton. Devers hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and Koss added a two-run shot in the third. Koss then hit another home run in the fifth, followed by Devers' second homer of the game just two batters later, which extended the Giants' lead to 6-2.
Thornton, a 2023 fifth-round pick, has relied on pitch mixing, strategy, and location to succeed, largely contributing to his 3.53 earned run average. However, Devers and Koss appeared to anticipate his pitches effectively. Late home runs from Jefry Yan and Justin Hagenman further extended the Giants' advantage.
The Mets' offense struggled against Giants pitchers Anthony Molina and the bullpen, managing only a two-run homer from A.J. Ewing, a bases-loaded walk drawn by Brett Baty, and a two-run double from Baty. Despite the offensive efforts, they could not overcome the deficit.
Thornton's performance on Saturday raises questions about his potential position in the Mets' rotation for the following season. He is currently viewed as a depth option who could start in Triple-A Syracuse, or potentially compete for a No. 5 starter role behind Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, Sean Manaea, and any potential winter acquisitions, provided he performs well through September and in spring training.