When the season started, no one was expecting the Mets’ rotation to punch above its weight class. But here we are, and they’re throwing haymakers.
While bigger names have floundered across the league, the Mets are riding a wave of cost-efficient brilliance—and David Peterson might be their poster child for unexpected dominance.
This rotation wasn’t supposed to work, but it’s doing more than surviving—it’s setting the tone.
Peterson quiets Dodgers with another gem
Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers is no small task. It’s like stepping into a wind tunnel and trying to light a match.
But David Peterson didn’t flinch.
On Saturday, he tossed 7.2 strong innings, gave up just two earned runs, and struck out seven. He held a dangerous offense in check and lowered his ERA to 2.79 in the process.
That performance didn’t come out of nowhere either. Peterson’s been stringing together starts like a veteran ace, and he’s doing it with finesse and deception.
He’s not overpowering hitters with raw velocity. He’s dismantling them with extension, location, and filthy secondary pitches.
Secondary stuff is fueling his breakout
Peterson’s slider and changeup are downright unfair right now.
Batters are hitting just .203 against his slider and a miserable .179 against his changeup.
Those two pitches have allowed him to avoid the barrel and create constant weak contact. But his sinker? That’s been a ground-ball machine, helping him reach a 92nd percentile ground ball rate at 57%.
And then there’s his extension—ranking in the 96th percentile—which makes his 92.6 mph fastball look closer to 94 by the time it gets on hitters.
It’s a deceptive, efficient arsenal that’s working like a charm.
A massive return on a modest investment
Peterson isn’t just producing—he’s doing it for pennies on the dollar.
The 28-year-old lefty signed a one-year, $4.6 million deal this offseason in arbitration, and he’s not even eligible for free agency until 2027.
For a Mets team trying to balance a mega-high payroll and maximize value under Steve Cohen’s stewardship, Peterson is the kind of deal you dream about.
He posted a 2.90 ERA last year and has followed it up with another strong campaign. His consistency is becoming less of a surprise and more of an expectation.
A rotation exceeding all expectations
It’s not just Peterson carrying the load. Griffin Canning and Clay Holmes have also stepped up big.
Together, they’ve formed the backbone of a rotation that’s outperforming its projections—and doing it without the price tag of a big-name ace — Kodai Senga is their big-money starter, and he’s performing at a nominal cost.
This is the blueprint for sustained success: homegrown arms, smart arbitration deals, and elite pitch development.
The Mets didn’t need to break the bank. They just needed belief in their process—and right now, it’s paying off in a big way.
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