David Peterson has been one of the few bright spots in a frustrating season for the Mets. With the Mets looking at the playoff picture from the outside, it’s time to start looking towards next year. The 25-year old Peterson has shown he belongs in the plans for 2021.
For years now, the Mets have repeatedly tried to promote their starting pitching as the backbone of the team. And while it’s true strong starting pitching wins in the postseason; a healthy pitching staff still must get you there. If not for the health issues, along with performance setbacks, the Mets are likely on the right side of a conversation today about the playoffs.
Instead, it’s a familiar narrative heading into the offseason.
The starting pitching must be addressed. Jacob deGrom is the ace of the staff and the best pitcher in baseball. After deGrom, are four question marks. And since deGrom can’t pitch every night, the Mets need answers to those questions.
Peterson has shown he’s ready to be one of those answers for this team. Last Saturday night, I sat and watched him dominate the Atlanta Braves. I saw a pitcher not afraid of the moment, he was poised and clearly in control. Peterson recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts allowed just three hits over six innings of work. The Mets went on to win the game and convince me they’ve found themselves a starting pitcher for the future.
Freddie Freeman is one of the best hitters in the game, Peterson struck him out three times. For a couple of hours on a Saturday night in September, it felt nice watching a Mets game with strong starting pitching – and it wasn’t deGrom.
Peterson, like deGrom, brings a sense of calm when it’s his time to pitch
The Mets called up Peterson from Double A in the minor leagues. That’s not a jump every prospect can make successfully. Now, add in the challenges of having to develop amid a global pandemic which truncated the calendar for Major League Baseball. Peterson has been able to work through all of that and earn his way into the starting rotation.
The Mets didn’t make the move to Peterson out of luxury, it was necessity.
Noah Syndergaard is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Marcus Stroman opted out and is heading for free agency. Steven Matz continues to be inconsistent and needs to get his act together. All veterans Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello have done is help fuel the debate over Seth Lugo starting instead of coming out of the bullpen. The Mets needed Peterson to show he’s ready to be a key contributor right now, and he’s delivered.
Peterson’s 3.80 earned run average is second on the staff behind deGrom. He’s shown he’s capable of holding down the No. 2 slot in the rotation until Syndergaard is ready to return. When that happens, Peterson can fit nicely into his spot on the staff. He made the jump from Double A and there’s no reason to feel he needs to go backwards.
In a year where not much has gone right for the Mets, there’s hope for a better tomorrow. It’s a sad song most fans sing every year around this time. However, with new ownership coming in, there’s room for optimism.
There will be questions this offseason that must be addressed once the new ownership has settled into their office. The conversation on where David Peterson belongs in 2021 shouldn’t be a long one. He’s a keeper for this team.
