David John Peterson was born September 3rd, 1995, in Arcadia, California. His father Doug was a horse trainer who trained the legendary Seattle Slew, before passing away to a drug overdose when David was just nine years old. His mother Shannon had previously divorced his father.He was raised in Colorado & went to high school there before attending the University of Oregon, pitching there for the Ducks baseball team. By his senior year set a school record winning 20 games.
In 2017 he was selected by the New York Mets in the 20th round. He began his career pitching three games for the Brooklyn Cyclones then moved up to Columbia & St. Lucie the following year. It was there he observed a rehabbing David Wright getting a lesson in determination & preparation.
In 2019 he pitched for the AA Binghamton Rumble Ponies going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA.
Mets Career-2020: Peterson made the Mets staff during the Covid19 shortened season. On July 28th Peterson was brought up to make his first career start. He pitched into the 6th innings allowing two runs to the Red Sox at Fenway Park to earn his first career victory.
On August 2nd he took a loss to the Braves in Atlanta, then won his next three decisions to get to 4-1.
After taking a loss to the Blue Jays in Buffalo, NY, he had two fine starts where he pitched into the 6th & 7th innings respectively, allowing just an earned run each time.
He finished the year 6-2 leading the team in wins, becoming the sixth Met rookie to accomplish the feat. He struck out 40 batters & walked 24 in 49.2 innings of work with a 3.44 ERA.
2021: Peterson started the third game of the season & took a loss to the Phillies at Citizen's Bank Park. On April 14th, he pitched six innings against the Phils at home, allowing just one run earning his first win of the season.
On April 21st he gave up a season high six runs taking a loss to the Cubs. Peterson's struggles would continue as he would not earn another victory until June 14th. That day he shut out the Cubs at Citi Field for six innings. Trivia: From April 27th to June 2nd all seven games he started were decided by one run, marking a Mets streak set by Ron Darling in 1988.
In his next two starts he gave up just one earned run each time but took no decisions. On June 30th, Peterson matched his season high allowing six earned runs to the Atlanta Braves. He was soon diagnosed with a strained oblique & would go down for the rest of the season.2022: On an improved Mets bull club with the additions of Max Scherzer & Chris Bassit on the staff, he made his way into the rotation as a spot starter with the absence of Jacob deGrom who would not return from his injury until August.
After making a relief appearance to start the year, Peterson started two games allowing just one earned run in each start but got no decisions.
On May 25th, although Peterson gave up four runs to the Braves, he earned his first win as the ets won the game 5-4. On May 23rd, he earned his second win as the Mets put up 13 runs in a 13-3 win at San Francisco.
On the Mets Road trip to California, Peterson got no decision against the Dodgers, then earned a win relief at Anaheim allowing one run in 2.2 innings in the 7-3 Mets win. Peterson would collect two more wins & go to the All-Star break as a pleasant surprise helping out the staff at 5-2 with a 3.24 ERA.
In the second half he earned a pair of wins in August, first by shutting out the Braves into the 6th inning on August 6th. That night he struck out five reaching 200 K's in his career. Then on August 27th he shut out the Rockies for six innings combining for a 3-0 shut out to earn his seventh victory.
Peterson would struggle in September not earning another win & ending the year pitching in relief out of the bullpen. On the year he was 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA.
He struck out 126 batters & walked 48 in 105.2 innings, making a career high 19 starts in 28 appearances.
2022 Post Season: In the NLWC series he made two relief appearances in the loss to the San Diego Padres.
2023:
In the disappointing Mets 2023 season, Peterson also was disappointing. In 21 starts he would give up four runs or more nine times, with five or more runs five times.
Peterson began the year with the Mets in the rotation. On March 31st, he took a tough loss in South Florida allowing just a run over eight innings in a 1-0 loss.After falling to 0-2 he gave up six runs to the Dodgers in Los Angeles, giving up two HRs to Freddie Freeman & another to Max Muncy, but still earned a win as the Mets put up eight runs. In his next start he gave up a season high seven runs in San Francisco, serving up two more HRs.
He missed time & spent six games at AAA Syracuse before returning to the Mets at the start of July.
On July 8th, he took a loss to the Padres falling to 2-7. He was placed in the bullpen the rest of the month. On July 27th, Peterson earned a win over the Nationals pitching two scoreless innings in relief.
Peterson made ten more starts the rest of the way collecting just one decision, a loss at Minnesota. From August 27th to the end of the season, he posted 12.03 strikeouts per nine innings ratio which was fifth best in the majors.
On September 15th, he matched his career high ten strike outs in a game, in a 5-3 loss to the Reds at Citi Field. The ten strike outs were his highest total of the 2023 season.
At the end of the season, he underwent surgery for a damaged labrum in his left hip.
2024: Peterson recovered well from the surgery making his Mets debut on May 29th at Citi Field. He pitched five innings earning no decision in a loss to the Dodgers, giving up three runs, two earned, including a HR to Will Smith.From June 4th to July 22nd, Peterson went 5-0 with a 3.09 ERA in eight starts. On June 4th he earned his first win pitching into the 7th inning in a 6-3 win at Washington. In his next start at Citi Field, he gave up four runs to the Marlin's, but the Mets put up ten runs to get him to 2-0. It was the start of a Mets seven game win streak.
On June 12th, Peterson benefited from the Mets 14 run 22 hit attack in Texas, to earn his third
win. He gave up two runs in six innings striking out eight as the Mets won their sixth straight. On June 25th he got no decision in the subway series win, as he struck out a season high eight batters allowing one run, exiting in the 5th inning with a 4-1 lead. In the game Peterson also allowed a season high five walks.In his next two stars he got no decisions in Met wins where he allowed just two runs each time.
From July 1st to the end of the season, David would go 7-3 with the second most wins in the NL in that span, posting a 2.68 ERA which was ninth best.
On July 11th, Peterson shut out the Nationals for six innings, striking out five in a combined Mets shut out, during a five-game win streak. On July 22nd, Peterson got to 5-0 with a 3.14 ERA, beating the Marlins in Miami. He fanned four & walked four giving up two runs on six hits over five innings.
On July 28th, he suffered his first loss, coming in a big loss to the Braves at Citi Field. Peterson gave up a three run HR to Matt Olsen, allowing four runs on four hits, three walks & seven strike outs over five innings.
After a no decision, he earned back-to-back wins allowing just one run in each outing coming at Colorado & at home to Oakland. Peterson was 7-1 thru his first 13 starts.
From August 3rd to September 3rd, Peterson would give up just nine earned runs in 44.2 innings pitched for a 1.81 ERA. He would win six of seven decisions in that time as well.
On August 19th, he went into the 7th inning for the first time on the season, holding a 3-1 lead over the Orioles at Citi Field. But he then gave up a two run HR to Ramon Urias leaving the game in a 3-3 tie. The Mets won it on Francisco Alvarez's Walk off HR.
On August 24th, in a big game a San Diego, against one of the teams the Mets were chasing in the wild card race, Peterson shut down the Padres, giving up just one run in 7.1 innings. He gave up just five hits, two walks & struck out two, winning his third straight game, to get to 8-1 on the season. On August 29th, in another big series with the wild card leading Diamondbacks in Arizona, he pitched seven innings for the third straight game, leaving in a 2-2 tie. His only mistake was a two run HR to Randal Grichuk in the 3rd inning.
The Mets won the game with the help of Jose Iglesias' 9th inning RBI single. Peterson lowered his ERA to 2.83, one of the league's best.
Most K's By Mets Pitcher on their Birthday: On September 3rd, Peterson set a Mets record as he struck out a season high 11 batters. It was the most strikeouts in franchise history for a Mets pitcher on his own birthday. He was the first pitcher to record a win on his birthday since Dillon Gee (2012).
In a win over the Red Sox at Citi Field, Peterson pitched seven innings allowing two runs on six hits, walking one to earn his ninth win to get to 9-1 with a 2.75 ERA. It was his third straight winning decision & the Mets sixth win in a row, keeping them a half game out of the third wild card spot.
In two of his next three starts in September he gave up a season high five runs first in Toronto then in an important series with the Phillies at Citi Field taking losses each time. In between those starts he went head-to-head with the Phillies Christopher Sanchez in Philadelphia, holding the Phillies scoreless thru seven innings. In the bottom of the 8th back-to-back doubles tied up the game, as David exited in a 1-1 tie having allowed just one run on four hits while fanning six in 7.2 innings. Edwin Diaz lost the game as he gave up a walk off RBI single to JT Realmuto.
On September 29th in Milwaukee, Peterson held the Brewers scoreless for seven innings while striking out eight, earning the win keeping the Mets tied for the third wild card spot. The win was his career high tenth of the season.
Peterson went 10-3 (tied for third with most wins on the staff) leading the Mets starters with a 2.90 ERA giving up 44 runs (39 earned) striking out 101 with 46 walks in 121 innings pitched in 21 starts.
2025 Post Season: In the Wild Card Series Game #3, after Pete Alonso put the Mets ahead 3-2 with a three run HR in the top of the 9th inning, Peterson was brought in to close out the bottom of the 9th inning. After giving up a leadoff single, he struck out Joey Ortiz & got Brice Turang to hit into a game ending double play, collecting the save.
Mets Trivia: Peterson is the first pitcher in franchise history to collect his first career save in the post season.
2025 NLDS: In Game #1 of the NLDS Peterson came in relief of Kodai Senga in the 3rd inning, pitching three scoreless innings allowing a hit walking three & striking out one.
In Game #4 a Citi Field with the Mets looking to clinch the series, Peterson came on in relief with
two on & two outs in the top of the 6th with New York up 1-0. He got Bryson Scott to ground out to Pete Alonso to end the threat & the inning. In the bottom of the inning Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam HR to break the game open. Peterson earned the victory pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.
In the NLDS he made two appearances going 1-0 posting a 0.00 ERA.
2025 NLCS: In Game #1 of the NLCS loss to the Dodgers, Peterson came in relief of Kodai Senga in the 3rd inning with New York down 3-0.
In the bottom of the 4th, Peterson gave up three runs on four hits with RBI hits to Tommy Edman, Shohei Ohtani & Freddie Freeman.
In Game #5 he got the start at Citi Field, but only lasted until the 4th inning, throwing a wild pitch to Shohei Ohtani allowing a run to score, then giving up a 4th inning HR to Andy Pages.
He allowed the two runs, on six hits & two walks getting no decision in the Mets 12-6 win. The Mets lost Game #6 in L.A. ending their season.
In the post season, he was 1-0 with a save, allowing five runs on 14 hits, with eight walks & eight strike outs in 12.1 innings in five appearances making just one start.
2025: In his first start of 2025, Peterson pitched ix innings allowing two runs to the Marlins in
South Florida recording a nine strike outs & his first win.
In his next four starts he gave up two runs or less in all but one of those games & did not collect a win. On April 29th he earned his second win, coming at Citi Field over the Diamondbacks.
In his next start in Arizona, he gave up two earned runs, four runs overall taking the loss to get to 2-2. In that game he collected his 500th career strike outs.
Peterson won his next three decisions, first beating the Dodgers at Citi Field then Colorado at home as well, to earn back-to back wins allowing three runs in 13 innings in the two starts.
Shut Out: On June 11th, he pitched his first career shutout, a six-hitter over the Nationals at Citi Field. He struck out six & walked no one in the win lowering his season ERA to 2.49, collecting his second career complete game. He was the first Mets left hander to throw a complete game shut out had been Steven Matz (2019).
Peterson kept his ERA under three until June 22nd. After a no decision in Atlanta, Peterson gave up five runs in back-to back starts taking losses in Philadelphia & Pittsburgh.
On July 3rd, David went to 6-4 with a 3-2 win over Milwaukee at Citi Field. On July 10th, Peterson pitched seven innings allowing just one run in Baltimore, but he got no decision in the Mets 3-1 loss.
2025 All Star: He ended the first half at 6-4 with a 3.06 ERA with 93 K's in 18 starts, getting
named to the NL All Star team replacing Robbie Ray.
Peterson pitched a scoreless 4th inning, allowing singles to Cal Raleigh & Vlad Jr.
In his next start, coming after the break, he gave up just one unearned to the Reds but got another no decision, although the Mets won the game 3-2. On July 26th, he held the Giants to a run over six innings in San Francisco in a 2-1 Mets win earning the victory. His ERA was now under three again & would stay there until mid-August three starts later.
Second Half Troubles: Peterson then had two rough outings giving up giving up four runs to Cleveland taking his fifth loss, then giving up six runs, matching a season high five walks, in a no decision against The Braves at Citi Field. In his final nine starts he would give up 39 earned runs in 41.2 innings posting an 8.42 ERA.
Ten K Game: On August 19th in Washington D.C. David matched a season high ten strike outs,
allowing just one run on four hits to the Nat's in eight innings, his second highest innings total of the season behind the complete game.
On August 30th, in Miami Peterson had his worst outing of the year, giving up eight runs on eight hits in just two innings of work. He didn't get a decision in the 11-8 loss.
On September 5th with the Mets in the wild card race, eleven games over .500 Peterson won his ninth game of the season, even though he allowed four runs to the Reds in Cincinnati. It was his last win of the season.
On 9-11 he earned no decision in a 6-4 loss at Philadelphia. On September 17th the Padres got him for six runs in a 7-4 loss where he took his sixth loss.
On September 23rd in his final start of the season, Peterson gave up five runs to the Cubs at Wrigley Field taking no decision, as the Mets went on to win aided by Francisco Alvarez's 8th inning two run HR keeping the Mets in the wild card hunt. The Mets would lose their final game of the season eliminating them from the post season.
On the season he went 9-6 with a 4.22 ERA with 150 strike outs (leading the staff) with 65 walks & 168 innings in 30 starts.
Career Stats: In his five-year career Peterson is 37-30 with a 4.12 ERA. He struck out 614 batters walked 262 in 622.2 innings in 131 appearances making 115 starts.
Family: Davis & his wife Alex have two children. In 2024 their daughter was born & their son was born in 2022. Their son's name is Callahan Eugene Peterson. Eugene is a nod to the city where David went to college in Oregon.
Hobbies: David is an avid golfer & although he is a left hander, he golfs right-handed. He also enjoys photography.
In 2019 he pitched for the AA Binghamton Rumble Ponies going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA.
On May 25th, although Peterson gave up four runs to the Braves, he earned his first win as the ets won the game 5-4. On May 23rd, he earned his second win as the Mets put up 13 runs in a 13-3 win at San Francisco.
Peterson would struggle in September not earning another win & ending the year pitching in relief out of the bullpen. On the year he was 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA. 
In the disappointing Mets 2023 season, Peterson also was disappointing. In 21 starts he would give up four runs or more nine times, with five or more runs five times. 
At the end of the season, he underwent surgery for a damaged labrum in his left hip. 
