Mets All-Star's Latest Gem Shows Why New York Must Offer Extension
Every pitching staff needs a workhorse, and that's what David Peterson has become for the New York Mets.
Coming off his first good season as a starter last year, it was hard to know what to expect from Peterson in this volatile Mets rotation. But he's checked every box along the way, making his first All-Star team at age 29 and pitching to a 3.30 ERA through 136 1/3 innings.
Peterson's eight-inning, one-run start against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday was one of his most clinical outings yet. And it came on the first day of a stretch of 16 games for the Mets in 16 days, so he did it when his team needed it the most.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 19: David Peterson #23 of the New York Mets looks on as he walks to the dugout after pitching eight innings against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 19,...
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 19: David Peterson #23 of the New York Mets looks on as he walks to the dugout after pitching eight innings against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on August 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by)That's what the Mets are coming to expect from Peterson. And soon, they need to figure out what it's going to take to keep him doing it a while longer. Peterson is set to hit free agency after next season, and if they lost him, the Mets might be all the way back to square one in filling out their rotation.
Manager Carlos Mendoza didn't have a high volume words to say about Peterson after his latest gem, but the words he did say underscored exactly why the Mets need to lock down Peterson.
"He was really good," Mendoza said, per Tim Britton of The Athletic. "In complete control."
The Mets have a lot of other question marks in their current rotation. With Kodai Senga, it's health. With Clay Holmes, it's fatigue. With Nolan McLean, it's youth. None of those things apply to Peterson, who is a perfect prospective cornerstone for a rotation with many more top prospects on the way.
According to Britton, Peterson has gone six innings or more in 16 of his 24 starts, while the rest of the Mets staff has done so 18 times in 101 tries. Plus, Peterson has six of the Mets' eight starts of seven or more innings.
While it can be hard to get a deal done only a year before free agency, the fact that Peterson has never hit 150 innings in a season before should work to the Mets' advantage.
It's not as if New York should break the bank for Peterson, but rather than waiting for its next reclamation project in free agency, it should recognize what it already has and try its best to lock him up.
More MLB: Mets Lose Young Star To Injured List At Worst Possible Time: Report
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