MLB Insider declares Mets’ Peterson a top-5 LHP starter in baseball

SNY analyst John Harper had high praise for New York Mets lefty David Peterson after his strong outing on Wednesday.

Jun 11, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After his first career complete game shutout on Wednesday, New York Mets starter David Peterson was the talk of the town. On Thursday, one SNY analyst had high praise for the southpaw and included him on an elite list of starting pitchers.

On the latest edition of Baseball Night in New York, SNY analyst John Harper put Peterson in elite company, listing him in his top-5 left-handed starting pitchers in baseball.

Where does David Peterson rank among the top lefty starting pitchers in baseball?@NYNJHarper gives his list on BNNY:

➡️ Tri-State @Cadillac pic.twitter.com/EdwIbbAbFq

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 12, 2025

“Here’s my list,” Harper said to the BNNY panel. “There are some really good lefties in the big leagues. Skubal, obviously, Fried, Sale with his resume, and Crochet. There’s a couple more like Valdez and even Mackenzie Gore, but I put Peterson fifth now.”

Peterson may not have the high strikeout rates of the others or the Cy Young hardware, but he has been a different pitcher since returning from hip surgery last season. In 2024, Peterson finished the season with a career-best 2.90 ERA and a 10-3 record across 121.0 innings of work. He allowed just eight home runs in his 21 starts.

Read More: Mets expected to be chasing similar reliever targets as NL East rival

The complete game shutout over the Washington Nationals lowered Peterson’s ERA to an impressive 2.49 and his WHIP to 1.19. Through 79.2 innings, Peterson has allowed just four home runs and 22 earned runs. It was the first complete-game shutout for a Mets lefty since Steven Matz accomplished it in 2019.

Along with the rest of the Mets’ rotation, the southpaw has been a major reason why the team has the best record in baseball and has World Series aspirations this year. Through 69 games this season, the Mets' rotation has the lowest combined ERA in baseball at 2.82, and is tied for the lead in wins with 44 with the Detroit Tigers.

David Peterson puts the finishing touches on his first career shutout! pic.twitter.com/ainEy2zECz

— MLB (@MLB) June 12, 2025

Harper acknowledged that Peterson isn’t the flamethrower that Skubal or Crochet are, but he also pointed out that there are plenty of ways to be successful as a starting pitcher. The analyst highlighted Peterson’s ability to induce soft contact at the plate, which has translated into timely outs whenever he does find himself in trouble.

Harper also compared Peterson to another left-handed New York pitching legend. 

“To me, he reminds me a little bit of Andy Pettitte as a guy who deals with traffic but doesn’t flinch when there’s traffic on. He has a knack for making big pitches in big spots and getting double plays when he has to. He’s just got a toughness about him and knows how to get big outs, so I think he’s a guy that they are going to be able to count on in the postseason.”

Mets fans will recall Peterson’s critical role as both a starter and reliever in last season’s playoff run. As the top starting LHP for the Mets, at least until Sean Manaea returns, Peterson’s play so far this season is no doubt carving out a crucial role in the team’s playoff rotation.

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