David Peterson is going to start a game for the first time in nearly a month.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed after the team’s 8-4 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday that the southpaw will begin the series finale in Washington D.C. on Thursday afternoon.
Peterson, who has been ineffective as a starter this season, pitched himself out of the rotation. In five starts this season, Peterson is 0-4 with an 8.10 ERA across 18.0 innings pitched. He made four consecutive starts to begin the season before he pitched out of the bullpen in his next two appearances. He made a start on April 29, against the Nationals, before being relegated to pitching behind an opener in his last three outings.
To Peterson’s credit, the southpaw has been much more effective as a reliever. He’s pitched to a 2.25 ERA and allowed only four earned runs over his last three appearances (13.0 IP).
In his last start, Peterson had his worst outing of the season when he was roughed up by the Nationals at Citi Field. Washington pushed across seven runs on five hits and three walks across 3.2 innings.
With the Mets heading to Miami for three this weekend, Freddy Peralta and Christian Scott are slated to make starts, but New York is leaving the option of calling up prospect Jonah Tong to make a spot start.
The loss of Clay Holmes to injury has put the Mets rotation in flux. If Peterson can succeed as a starter, it would go a long way toward stabilizing the pitching staff.
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