Peterson Ends Tumultuous Season On High Note

David Peterson pitching to Jake Burger in the first inning on Thursday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

 

Thursday night at Citi Field ended chaotically, as the Mets' game with the Marlins was suspended with two outs in the ninth inning and Miami ahead 2-1.

The Marlins got those two runs in the top of the ninth innings, which since they couldn't complete it last night, would have reverted back to the score at the end of the eighth, which was 1-0 Mets.

Miami is 82-76 and in possession of the third and final Wild Card spot, 1/2 game ahead of the Chicago Cubs (82-77), as they go to Pittsburgh for a three-game weekend set with the Pirates, while Chicago is at the National League Central champion Milwaukee Brewers.

If Miami needs it, they will resume the game on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Citi Field.

David Peterson got the start for the Mets in this one, and he capped off a strong finish to his season with seven shutout innings, scattering four hits and four walks, while striking out eight.

The left-hander will finish with a record of 3-8, as he notched a no-decision in this one, as he left with the game scoreless, so the result won't alter that.

Peterson lowered his ERA (earned run average) to 5.03, which is astonishing considering his ERA was 8.08 on May 15.

That Monday afternoon in May capped a tumultuous eight starts for Peterson to open his 2023 season, as he was touched up by the Washington Nationals for six runs (all earned) on nine hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. 

The Mets lost that one, 10-3, and it left Peterson with a record of 1-6, with one no decision, and he was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

Peterson had seven appearances, including six starts, at Syracuse, and he worked his way back to Flushing in late June.

In his first game back, Peterson threw six shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 27, in which he scattered five hits and three walks, while striking out five, in a 7-2 Mets win. That performance lowered his ERA to 7.00, shaving 1.08 off it in one night.

Peterson then made a couple of more starts before becoming a reliable arm out of the bullpen throughout July. He allowed just three earned runs in eight innings pitched over six appearances, in which he allowed just nine hits and three walks.

In August, after the Mets traded their pair of aces, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, Peterson was back in the rotation and he made the most of it.

In 10 starts, nine of which were no decisions with one loss (at Minnesota on September 9), Peterson allowed no more than four runs, which he did three times, and he had two outings where he went seven innings - this one against Miami and on Sunday, August 27 against the Angels when he allowed just one earned run and worked around three hits and eight walks, with three strikeouts.

Looking ahead to next season, the Mets will likely determine whether Peterson or right-hander Tylor Megill will occupy the fifth spot in the rotation. 

Since Peterson was far better out of the bullpen this season than in 2022, that likely will be where he ends up, as the Mets need as many quality relievers as possible heading into next season.