Mets' David Peterson looking to bounce back after spark from Nolan McLean's electric debut
Mets starting pitcher David Peterson at Citi Field last week. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Mets’ rotation had experienced a tumultuous two months.
From June 11 to Aug. 13, Mets starters threw an MLB-low 241 2/3 innings. They had five consecutive sub-five-inning starts from Aug. 8-13, a full turn through the rotation.
The Mets have followed that stretch with four straight starts of at least five innings: 5 2/3 from Kodai Senga last Thursday, five from Sean Manaea on Friday, 5 1/3 from Nolan McLean in his electric debut Saturday and five from Clay Holmes in Sunday’s Little League Classic. McLean and Holmes each earned wins for the Mets (66-58), who have won two straight.
The current streak is far from a monumental accomplishment, though one to recognize amid a brutal stretch. Now the onus falls on the All-Star of the staff: David Peterson.
In last Wednesday’s 11-6 loss to Atlanta, Peterson allowed a season-high six runs and five hits. He also tied a season-high five walks in a season-low 3 1/3 innings. The lefthander gets his first chance to bounce back Tuesday night in Washington.
“The [start] like last one, I don't take too much [from] it,” Peterson told Newsday. “Watch it, move on. I see that as an uncharacteristic game, and I know what I'm capable of. You see kind of where I got myself into some trouble and see what I did well, and continue to build off of that and get ready for the next one.”
Peterson is 7-5 with a 3.30 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, 117 strikeouts and 50 walks in 136 1/3 innings.
Most of the conversation surrounding workload among Mets starters has been about Holmes in his first season as a full-time starter (and rightfully so). But Peterson already has reached career highs in innings and starts (23). Is that a point of pride for him?
“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “I think being able to do it last year after missing the first two months, and still be able to get the most starts of my career, most innings. And then to be able to stay healthy throughout the year this year and be able to make all my starts and get past that milestone, I think it’s huge.”
Peterson’s 2024 breakout season, in which he went 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 21 starts, did not begin until May 29. Peterson had major surgery in November 2023 to repair the torn labrum in his left hip.
He has been the workhorse of the Mets’ rotation this year, making the hip injury feel like a distant memory.
“It definitely comes up, not in any area of concern,” Peterson said. “But I think just with having surgery and all that, you're going to have to work through some stuff, and the body is going to ache after throwing 100-plus pitches. I think it's just a matter of staying on your treatment and doing what you need to be ready.”
The rotation underwent a major change last week.
The Mets officially moved Frankie Montas to the bullpen, paving the way for McLean’s promotion.
McLean’s first impression certainly did not disappoint. The 24-year-old righthander allowed only two hits and four walks in 5 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out eight.
“Look, he was pretty impressive,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And I feel like Senga on [Thursday], Sean on [Friday] found a way to give us five innings. You got another outing where a starter goes back out for the sixth.
“It's contagious. Same way when one guy struggles, they start feeling pressure. But now it's more like, all right, we got a guy here too that is going to be able to help us. So it definitely helps, and hopefully they can carry on.”
Said Peterson: “To have a guy come in and fresh blood and be able to give us a different look, yeah, I think it can spark some stuff. I think last year, when we had some guys come back, when we had [Jose] Iglesias called up, like that kind of helped turn the corner for us. So I think it definitely can be something that can help us going forward.”
McLean, the Mets’ No. 3 overall prospect and top pitching prospect, according to MLB.com, is set to make his next start Friday at Atlanta.
Down the road, perhaps McLean’s debut will be looked at as a true turning point for the Mets.
“I think baseball is a contagious game in general,” McLean said. “It's a big momentum sport. So hopefully we can all get rolling and make a good push here.”
Notes & quotes: Francisco Lindor was named the NL Player of the Week. In six games, he had a .560/.607/1.040 slash line with 14 hits, three homers, three doubles, seven RBIs and two stolen bases . . . Luisangel Acuna, recalled as the Mets’ 27th man Sunday, was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday . . . The Mets requested waivers to grant righthander Paul Blackburn his unconditional release.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
