David Peterson Has Massive Opportunity to Help Address Mets' Rotation Concerns

It's time for David Peterson to prove himself to the Mets. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sometimes, it is very hard to please a Mets fan. With the Mets needing a starter for Thursday's series finale, the club announced that David Peterson would get the ball, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. The move likely isn’t permanent and is probably being done to preserve Huascar Brazobán for the next six-game stretch without an off day.

David Peterson will start Thursday's series finale for the Mets. No opener.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 21, 2026

However, if Peterson goes out there and excels in a starting role, could he earn his spot back?

The results from the bullpen for the Mets’ former All-Star have been promising. Peterson owns a 2.77 ERA with 17 strikeouts across 13 innings pitched in relief. In five starts this season, however, he is 0-4 with an 8.10 ERA across 18 innings. Those are hardly confidence-inducing numbers.

Peterson made four consecutive starts to begin the season before shifting to the bullpen for his next two appearances. He then made another start on April 29 against the Nationals before being relegated to pitching behind an opener in each of his last three outings.

His previous start marked his worst outing of the season, as he was roughed up by Washington at Citi Field. The Nationals pushed across seven runs on five hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings.

That's the past, though. Peterson is staring at a clean slate on Thursday, leaving time to see whether he'll step up to prove his doubters wrong or if it'll be business as usual (and not in a good way).

Why a strong start from David Peterson would go a long way for the Mets

The loss of Clay Holmes to injury has thrown the Mets’ rotation into flux. The club’s top starter to begin the 2026 season is sidelined until at least August, while Kodai Senga continues to work his way back from injury.

The Mets also saw No. 13 prospect Zach Thornton make his MLB debut Wednesday night. It was a shaky performance, as he allowed four runs over 4 1/3 innings while striking out three. Thornton has plenty of time to prove himself as a starter, but it's clear that he might not be fully ready for the role just yet.

The Mets need David Peterson to step up, with Zach Thornton still not looking ready to be a full-time MLB starter yet. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The spot will not necessarily be handed to the rookie, meaning two rotation spots still appear up for grabs. This weekend in Miami, Freddy Peralta and Christian Scott are locked into starts, while the final game remains undecided. No. 2 prospect Jonah Tong could be an option after being scratched from his scheduled Triple-A Syracuse start on Wednesday.

If Peterson can succeed as a starter, it would go a long way toward stabilizing the pitching staff. In 15 career appearances against Washington, Peterson owns a 7-2 record with a 3.18 ERA and will look to continue that success against a National League East rival.