David Peterson: Mets Pitcher (2020 - 2024)

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. 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 appearances in the loss to the San Diego Padres.

2023: In the disappointing Mets 2023 season, Peterson also was disappointing. Inn 21 starts he would give up four runs or more nine times, with five or more runs five times. 

He 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, earned a win over the Nationals pitching two scoreless innings.

Peterson made ten more starts the rest of the way collecting just one decision a loss at Minnesota. At the end of the season, he underwent surgery for a damaged labrum in his left hip. 

He is not expected to return until the second half of 2024.

Career Stats: In his four-year career Peterson is 18-21 with a 451 RA. He struck out 363 batters walked 151 in 333 innings in 80 appearances making 64 starts.

Family: Davis & his wife Alex have one son together. Their son's name is Callahan Eugene Peterson. Eugene is a nod to the city where David went to college in Oregon.

David is an avid golfer & although he is a left hander, he golfs right-handed. He also enjoys photography.