Mike’s Mets Player Review Series: David Peterson

Now that the 2020 season is over for the New York Mets, we have been looking back at the year that was. After taking a more general view of the offense, pitching, and coaching staff, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the Mets’ players. This series will take a look at every player on the roster for the Mets at the end of the season from A (Pete Alonso) to Z (Daniel Zamora). The review will look at their season statistics, stories, and what role (if any) they will have next season. We continue the series today with a look at starting pitcher David Peterson.

2020 Stats: 10 Games, 9 Starts, 49.2 Innings Pitched, 6-2 Won-Loss Record, 3.44 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 40:24 K:BB Ratio, 1.5 WAR

Story: David Peterson entered spring training with a clear ticket to AAA Syracuse. The pandemic, along with injuries to Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman, created an opportunity in the rotation for Peterson to start. Peterson seized his chance, quickly becoming the Mets’ second-best starter after Jacob deGrom, but he landed on the injured list in mid-August due to shoulder fatigue. The injury sidelined Peterson for a few weeks, but the Mets bizarrely chose to put him in the bullpen when he was healthy, opting to stick with the underachieving duo of Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha in the rotation. Wacha got lit up in a start against the Orioles in early September, forcing Peterson to save the day in relief, which earned him a rotation spot once again. Peterson finished the year in the rotation and was extremely effective, proving that he was up to the challenge of starting for the Mets in the future.

Grade: A-

The Mets didn’t expect to get anything out of Peterson this season and he ended up delivering a strong performance, which is an encouraging sign for the future.

Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration Eligible

Odds of Returning: 100%

2021 Role: Fifth Starter

The plan for next season appears to be to slot Peterson in as their fifth starter, which makes sense. Innings could be an issue for Peterson so he could end up getting shifted to the bullpen when Syndergaard is ready to rejoin the rotation, but for now he is one of the few dependable options the Mets have as a starter.

Check back tomorrow as our Player Review series continues with a look at starting pitcher Rick Porcello!