David Peterson Could Be The Key To The Mets Rotation

To think that as recently as last year the Mets were boasting one of the most feared rotations in the league is a wild and depressing thought for Mets fans.

After the team acquired Marcus Stroman at the 2019 trade deadline, the rotation featured three guys who could pump triple digits in Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler. Behind them were two solid pitchers in their own right in the form of Marcus Stroman and Steven Matz.

It’s remarkable how quickly things can change.

The two biggest blows that stand out were the club’s inability to hang on to Wheeler, and Syndergaard’s having to undergo Tommy John surgery. And while Stroman’s decision to opt out in this pandemic-shortened season was out of their control, it was still another costly hit to their depth.

All in all, with Matz as their number two starter and veterans Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha each taking the hill every fifth day, the Mets’ starting staff posted a 5.37 ERA, the fifth worst mark in baseball.

But as the Mets look to rebuild and reform their starting rotation, there’s one man who has the potential to be the key to turning things around, and that’s 25-year-old lefty David Peterson.

While not a sleeper in the Mets’ farm system considering he was a consensus top-ten prospect in the organization, Peterson’s performance and quick adjustment to the big leagues was still a welcome surprise.

In ten appearances (nine starts), he posted a 3.44 ERA and struck out 40 in 49 innings. Add in the fact that he’d never thrown a pitch above Double-A and didn’t have a competitive minor league season in ease him into the workload, and it’s certainly remarkable how swiftly Peterson fit in.

Peterson was drafted by the Mets in the first round of the 2017 draft, and while at the University of Oregon he set a school record 20 strikeouts in one game. His talents have been known for some time, but now they’re finally being showcased at the highest level and are poised to stay for a long time.

With the ugly struggles of Matz (9.68 ERA) and essentially everyone else in the rotation besides deGrom, Peterson already has a case for being the second best starter on the team. While this speaks partly to the thinness of the rotation, it’s important for the Mets not to devalue what Peterson can give them, especially as they somewhat desperately search for starting pitching.

Heading into 2021, it’s fair to assume that deGrom will have another ace-like season, but Peterson could be the building block that really solidifies the middle of the rotation. Searching for depth beyond him will still be a challenge for sure, but a continuation in growth from him and a return to form from Matz could start to lead this starting staff back in the right direction.