Now that the 2023 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 (Abraham Almonte) to W (Josh Walker). 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.
Player Review: David Peterson
2023 Stats:
Minor Leagues: 7 Starts, 37.0 Innings Pitched, 1-2 Won-Loss Record, 4.86 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 43:23 K:BB Ratio, .262 Batting Average Against
Major Leagues: 27 Appearances, 21 Starts, 111.0 Innings Pitched, 3-8 Won-Loss Record, 5.03 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 1 Hold, 1 Complete Game, 128:50 K:BB Ratio, .287 Batting Average Against, 0.6 WAR
Story: After a solid 2022 season, David Peterson entered spring training ticketed for AAA Syracuse since the Mets had a full starting rotation. Things changed when Jose Quintana went down for three months in the middle of camp, allowing Peterson to win a competition with Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi for the final spot in the starting rotation. Peterson pitched well in his first three starts but things hit a rough patch on the Mets’ West Coast trip when he was hammered in consecutive starts by the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.
Things quickly spiraled out of control for Peterson, whose ERA ballooned to 8.08 by mid-May before the Mets sent him down to AAA Syracuse to work on his mechanics. Peterson stayed in the minors for six weeks before getting called up for a spot start in late June and he pitched very well, tossing six shutout innings to beat the Milwaukee Brewers and take the place of Megill in the rotation. The Mets let Peterson start two more times before the All-Star Break and then shifted him to the bullpen upon Quintana’s return, where he looked pretty solid in short stints.
The trades of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the deadline opened two rotation slots for the Mets, who transitioned Peterson back to the rotation over the month of August by slowly building up his pitch count. Peterson was pitching pretty well down the stretch, bringing his ERA down to 5.03 for the year by his final start, which is a big accomplishment after his disastrous start to the season.
Grade: C-
Peterson was on his way to a complete disaster of a season but deserves some credit for righting the ship upon his return to the major leagues. The overall numbers don’t look pretty for Peterson, who can’t get higher than a C- with an ERA north of 5, but it could have been far worse than it ended up being for the Mets.
Contract Status: Arbitration Eligible (First Time)
Odds Of Returning: 100%
2024 Role: Depth Starter/Reliever
Peterson underwent hip surgery earlier this offseason and is expected to be sidelined until at least June, which is unfortunate for him since the Mets may have a competition in spring training for a job in their starting rotation. The Mets will have time to decide whether to let Peterson build up as a starter or use him in the bullpen, which would potentially allow him to rejoin the major league team quicker. Either way, Peterson should be a significant part of the Mets’ plans in 2024.
Check back tomorrow as our Player Review Series continues with a look at starting pitcher Jose Quintana!
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