Mets' David Peterson excited to pitch 'pain-free' for first time in years
David Peterson of the Mets walks through the dugout after the seventh inning against the Marlins at Citi Field on Sept. 28, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac
When David Peterson returns to the Citi Field mound Wednesday against the Dodgers for his season debut, he will bring with him a renewed optimism that he will be a bona fide starting pitcher over the long haul.
That outlook stems from the former first-round draft pick’s health history. For years, he played with periodic pain in his left hip. In November, he had his labrum surgically repaired. Now he is moving more easily and efficiently than ever before, he said.
“Being able to pitch without pain is a great feeling,” Peterson told Newsday. “And then also having more range of motion and my hip being able to work properly definitely gives me some benefits pitching-wise. I think just with my lower body moving better, more efficiently, it goes all the way up and it helps everything else fall into line.”
Peterson, a 28-year-old lefthander, has a career 4.51 ERA over parts of four seasons in the majors. But that has included periods of time — down the stretch in 2023, for example, or for much of 2022 — that suggest something more, something better.
“When he’s on, he could be pretty tough,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s going to be a big part of moving forward.”
Peterson said he feels the benefits of a healthy hip on the mound and also when lifting weights and during conditioning exercises and fielding drills.
Doubleheader Tuesday
The Mets and Dodgers were rained out Monday afternoon. The game was called close to three hours before the would-be first pitch because of a series of thunderstorms expected to hit Citi Field.
The teams will play a single-admission doubleheader starting at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday.
Tickets for Monday’s game will not be good for Tuesday.
With the tweak, the Mets will keep their starting pitching in line: Tylor Megill in the first game, Jose Quintana in the second.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
