The New York Mets will start left-hander David Peterson on Thursday, May 21, against the Washington Nationals, with Anthony DiComo of MLB.com relaying the news.
New York used an opener ahead of Peterson in each of his last three appearances. The lefty has come out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever on five occasions this season. Peterson has an ugly 8.10 ERA in 23.1 innings as a starter. As a reliever, he’s posted a strong 2.25 ERA across 20 innings.
The Mets’ news comes with the club looking to salvage a series split with the division-rival Nationals. New York took the first game of the four-game set, then lost the next two. Washington will send right-hander Cade Cavalli to the mound against Peterson.
New York Mets News Update: David Peterson Will Start Against the Washington Nationals
Peterson opened the season in the Mets’ rotation. He cruised through 5.1 scoreless innings in his first outing of the year. Since his season debut, Peterson has been pounded for 26 earned runs over 38 innings. After he lost three straight starts to begin April, the Mets shifted him into a bulk relief role. The decision seemed to get the veteran back on track. Peterson delivered seven innings of one-run ball across two appearances after getting moved to the bullpen. He picked up a hold in a win over the Minnesota Twins.
The lone start for Peterson since he was moved to the bullpen came against these Nationals. He was given the ball for a Wednesday, April 29, matchup at Citi Field. Washington crushed Peterson for seven earned runs in 3.2 innings. After ceding two tallies in the first frame, the lefty briefly settled in for two scoreless innings. Everything fell apart for Peterson in the fourth inning. Washington piled up seven runs in the frame, punctuated by a Brady House grand slam off reliever Sean Manaea. The Nats ultimately put two touchdowns on the Mets for a 14-2 victory.
It’s a peculiar choice to start Peterson against the Nationals once again. Not only did the club hammer him last time, but they’ve also been one of the most dangerous offenses against left-handed pitching. Washington leads the league in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ vs. southpaws. Only the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox have posted a higher team batting average against lefties than the Nats this year.
Mets Searching For Rotation Options Without Clay Holmes
The Mets lost Clay Holmes to a brutal injury on Friday, May 15, against the New York Yankees. The right-hander was struck by a line drive off the bat of outfielder Spencer Jones. He initially remained in the game, but was later diagnosed with a fractured fibula. Holmes is set to miss extended time. He joined righty Kodai Senga on the injured list.
Peterson is already a quasi-regular member of the rotation, so stretching him back out as a starter isn’t particularly useful. New York brought up prospect Zach Thornton for his big-league debut on Wednesday, May 20, against the Nats. He was tagged for four earned runs over 4.1 innings. Fellow prospect Jonah Tong could factor into the rotation plans this weekend against the Miami Marlins.
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