New York Mets starter David Peterson had a miserable time with the big league team in April and the early portion of May.
He was 1-6 with a horrible 8.08 ERA with the Mets, covering 39 innings in the process.
He was so bad that the Mets were forced to send him to Triple-A Syracuse.
It was a somewhat surprising decision given that Peterson had a good 3.83 ERA in 105.2 innings last year.
In Triple-A, the left-hander appears to be gaining some of his lost confidence and has a 2.77 ERA in 13 frames.
He seems to be enjoying the benefits from pitching in a low-stress environment.
“Perhaps David Peterson, who was 1-6 with an 8.08 ERA for the Mets in April and May, has unlocked something since his demotion to the Minors. He was just named International League Pitcher of the Week after a start that saw him strike out nine batters over eight shutout innings,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo tweeted.
Perhaps David Peterson, who was 1-6 with an 8.08 ERA for the Mets in April and May, has unlocked something since his demotion to the Minors. He was just named International League Pitcher of the Week after a start that saw him strike out nine batters over eight shutout innings.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 22, 2023
Indeed, Peterson was unhittable in his last start in Triple-A.
Could it be that he is working his way back and is about to return to being a serviceable back-end starter in MLB?
Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: he wasn’t as bad as his 8.08 ERA suggests he was.
His BB/K ratio was 14/45 in the 39 innings, so he is missing bats.
His .404 BABIP should go down and his 58.8% strand rate should go up.
In fact, his 3.44 expected FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) says he has actually been good.
If the Mets are patient with him, they will reap the benefits eventually.
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The Mets Are Proving To Be Clutch During Recent Streak