At the beginning of this season, David Peterson was considered something of a wild card in the Mets’ starting rotation. Viewed as a low-end option, he was recovering from hip surgery. But what unfolded was the best season of the left-handed pitcher’s career, and Sunday afternoon’s victory showed exactly what Peterson will be in 2024.
In what was the biggest start of his career, Peterson was informed the day before the game that he would take the mound and rose to the occasion, pitching seven shutout innings against the Brewers. It was a complete turnaround from the rough game on September 20th. .
Peterson threw 95 pitches, struck out eight batters and allowed three walks, but allowed only one hit, a first-inning infield hit by Jackson Cholio. His season-saving performance lowered his season ERA to 2.90, and his eight strikeouts tied for the second-most of the year, and he maintained that through 21 starts and 121 innings.
Peterson’s performance, throwing 95 pitches in seven innings, set the tone for the Mets’ big win on Sunday. Underscoring Peterson’s strength on Sunday, the Brewers couldn’t reach second base after Chourio’s single, forcing 19 of the last 21 batters he faced, including his last seven straight. That included batters.
Peterson became the first pitcher since John Maine in 2007 to pitch at least seven scoreless innings in a September start.
The game capped off a great season for Peterson, who was sidelined earlier in the year while recovering from hip surgery. He allowed two or fewer runs in 17 of his 21 starts. Although he did not pitch enough innings to qualify as an official league statistic, his ERA of 2.90 was the fifth-lowest of all major league pitchers. He finished the regular season with a 10-3 record and 101 strikeouts.
Peterson’s performance not only ended the Mets’ losing streak to three games, but also stabilized a shaky rotation and gave the team some much-needed momentum. He saved the game and much of the bullpen, leaving the Mets in a much better position heading into a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves.