David Peterson - a workhorse - has become one of the best pitchers in baseball
The Mets beat the Nats for their fifth straight thanks to a majestic outing from their starter. Plus, why Peterson is becoming the bulldog pitcher New York has long needed...
What’s up with the Mets? ⚾
The Mets won their fifth straight game on Wednesday night, shutting out the Nationals 5-0 at Citi Field (box)
LHP David Peterson tossed a rare complete game shutout, excelling over nine innings with six hits, no walks and six strikeouts
1B Pete Alonso got the Mets on the board in the first inning with an RBI double - recording an MLB-best 63rd RBI of the season, and his 20th RBI just this month
RF Juan Soto is starting to heat up - he launched a two-run, 408ft home run in the third to make it a 3-0 game
LF Brandon Nimmo enjoyed a monster night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs, three runs scored, two RBIs and a walk
The Mets are now a season-high 20 games over the .500 mark, and hold a five game lead in the NL East
Injury Updates 🏥
RHP Frankie Montas (right lat strain) will pitch in his fifth rehab assignment for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night
LHP Sean Manaea (right oblique strain) could make his next rehab start on Sunday
David Peterson’s Complete Game! ✅
LHP David Peterson became just the 63rd pitcher in Mets history to throw a shutout with no walks
He became the first left-hander to toss a complete game for the Mets since LHP Steven Matz on July 27, 2019, and the first Met to throw a complete game since RHP Luis Severino on Aug. 17 of last year
Peterson’s complete game shutout was just the seventh shutout thrown in Major League Baseball this year
Peterson has now gone seven-plus frames in three of his last four outings - giving the Mets exactly the kind of length they need from one of their key starters
Since making his season debut on May 29, Peterson ranks fourth in the National League with a 2.74 ERA, and eighth overall in Major League Baseball
He’s also one of only 13 pitchers with at least 200 innings over that stretch
Peterson now owns a 2.49 ERA on the year with 71 strikeouts and a 1.192 WHIP across 79.2 innings
Who’s Hot? 🔥
1B Pete Alonso is hitting .354/.436/.813/.1.249 with 10 runs scored, 17 hits, four doubles, six home runs, four walks and 20 RBIs over his last 12 games
RF Juan Soto has now extended his on-base streak to 13 consecutive games. Meanwhile, he’s hitting .390/.545/.829/.1.375 with 15 runs scored, 16 hits, three doubles, five home runs, 10 RBIs and 13 walks over his last 12 games
SS Francisco Lindor is hitting .349/.404/.674/.1.079 with 11 runs scored, 15 hits, two doubles, four homers, seven RBIs and three walks over his last 11 games
LF Brandon Nimmo is hitting .283/.353/.587/.940 with 10 runs scored, 13 hits, four home runs, nine RBIs and four walks over his last 12 games
CF Jeff McNeil is now riding a five-game hitting streak and a 14-game on-base streak. He’s hitting .308/.341/.667/.1.008 with eight RBIs over his last 10 games
Play of the Game ⭐️
In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and the final out at the plate, David Peterson was on the cusp of history.
And, with the final pitch of his masterpiece, Peterson induced the outcome he needed to complete the first complete game shutout of his career.
Peterson was incredibly efficient in accomplishing the feat, needing 106 pitches and using all of his five pitches to cement his place in history.
Now, a complete game shutout isn’t as rare as a no-hitter, but it is a feat that is becoming increasingly rarer in the modern-day game. You don’t see pitchers pitch all nine innings a whole lot these days. And, in fact, Peterson’s shutout was just the fourth the Mets have seen since 2020.
Peterson has been one of the standout performers of the 2025 season so far, and his stellar outing on Wednesday highlights just how important a piece he has become in this rotation.
Down on the Farm 🌾
OF Drew Gilbert (No. 10 prospect, Triple-A): 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HR
SS Jett Williams (No. 1 prospect, Double-A): 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 HR
1B Jacob Reimer (No. 18 prospect, High-A): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 3B, 1 SB
DH Trace Willhoite (Low-A): 4-for-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B
SS Jeremy Rodriguez (No. 11 prospect, Low-A): 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB
C Daiverson Gutierrez (No. 20 prospect, Low-A): 2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB
BOX SCORES
Low-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓️
Match-up: Mets (44-24) vs. Nationals (30-37)
Where: Citi Field - Flushing, NY
Starters: RHP Kodai Senga (6-3, 1.59 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Soroka (3-3, 4.86 ERA)
When: 1:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY / MLBN (Out-Of-Market-Only)
David Peterson is becoming the innings-eating Bulldog the Mets need… ✍️
David Peterson found himself at the heart of the baseball universe on Wednesday night.
On the mound for his 13th start of the 2025 season, Peterson delivered an all-time stellar outing.
He conjured up all of his best stuff to author the first complete-game shutout of his career, a feat that is becoming increasingly rare in modern-day baseball.
And this year is quickly becoming a breakout one for the lefty, who has looked like one of the best pitchers in all of baseball since coming back from hip surgery.
Peterson was masterful against the Nationals, retiring the first seven batters he faced while throwing a career-low 32 pitches across the first three innings of the game. He allowed just two hits through six scoreless frames, and didn’t permit a runner past first base until the seventh.
Even when he ran into some trouble in the seventh and eighth, Peterson leaned on his five-pitch arsenal to strike out the next two hitters before inducing a groundout to get out of the jam unscathed.
Though after the eighth, it wasn’t clear if Peterson would be allowed to return to the mound to complete what would become arguably the best outing of his entire career. After some back-and-forth with manager Carlos Mendoza, Peterson, who was at 97 pitches at that point, was given the green light to go back out with one caveat: he’d only be allowed to throw eight or nine more pitches in order to get the shutout over the line.
Well, as it turned out, nine pitches was all Peterson needed.
The lefty made light work of the Nats, inducing a lineout, a strikeout, and a groundout to secure the Mets’ first shutout from a lefty since Steven Matz accomplished the feat in 2019. He also became just the 63rd pitcher in franchise history to toss a shutout with no walks.
This work of art was without doubt the masterpiece of Peterson’s season so far. And that is saying something given how dominant the left-hander has been. Since making his 2024 season debut last May 29 following left hip surgery, Peterson has quietly become one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. His 2.74 ERA since that time ranks fourth in the National League, and eighth in the Major Leagues.
He has been one of the standout performers in a starting rotation that has exceeded all expectations so far in 2025.
Where Peterson’s real value lies, however, is in his workload. Since May 29, 2024, Peterson is one of only 13 pitchers with at least 200 innings over that stretch. By going the full nine innings on Wednesday, the lefty became the first Mets pitcher this season to complete eight innings. He’s also now gone seven-plus frames in three of his last four outings.
That last bit is crucial because the Mets have been in dire need of a real workhorse in the rotation for a considerable amount of time now. They have long craved a starter who can go deep in games, be efficient, pitch to contact, and lean on all of his pitches in order to get out of trouble.
Peterson ticks all of those boxes.
He’s also uber-confident and carries himself with a certain swagger whenever he’s on the mound. Sure, he won’t get anywhere near the attention or a fair share of the plaudits that some of the very best pitchers in the game, like Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, or Garrett Crochet, get, but Peterson sure has pitched like an ace this year.
But, back to the length point, Peterson is an absolute bulldog. He’s tough, gritty, and has the self-confidence to work through any issues in real time. As he showed on Wednesday, he has the ability to use all five pitches in order to work out of any jams.
And, as important as Peterson has been so far this year, his bulldog mentality could turn him into a real X-Factor come playoff time.
Because, as important as long, quality starts are in the regular season, they take on even more importance during the postseason. The Mets will need to be incredibly smart with their bullpen usage throughout the playoffs, and having a starter like Peterson, who can routinely give you seven plus innings, will go a long way towards ensuring the bullpen is as fresh as possible deep into October.
Plus, Peterson’s ability to be a real bulldog on the mound could give the Mets a real edge against arguably their biggest competitors in the National League once we reach the playoffs.
If you go back to the NLCS against the Dodgers, New York didn’t have one starter who even pitched into the seventh inning. That put a lot more strain on the bullpen. That is never good, but it is even more problematic when facing a loaded lineup like the one the Dodgers are able to roll out.
Well, without trying to look too far ahead, this version of Peterson could act as a secret weapon in a potential postseason rematch against LA. If Peterson is able to author a long outing, while being efficient with his pitches, he could maybe pitch twice in a long series if needed. Two long outings from a starter in a single series would help to save the bullpen, and it could be the missing piece the Mets need to really go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers. Furthermore, when you look at what LA’s rotation could look like come October - a rotation that looks set to include a certain Shohei Ohtani - having this version of Peterson as part of a four-headed pitching monster with Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes would give the Mets every chance in a long series.
The Mets didn’t have that type of weapon last year. But they sure as hell do now. And this current version of Peterson could prove to be a game-changer when it really matters the most.
For now, Peterson continues to cement his place as one of the best starters on this Mets staff. His 2.49 ERA ranks second on the team, and he also leads the team in innings pitched, which isn’t exactly a surprise.
He has shown over a pretty notable sample size that he has the stuff, the mentality, the intangibles and the attitude needed to pitch deep into games and overcome any challenges thrown his way.
The Mets have been searching for a legitimate hard-nosed bulldog for quite some time. They may have their guy in Peterson.
Around the League 🚩
The Twins traded RHP Jorge Alcalá to the Red Sox for minor leaguer 3B Andy Lugo (Star Tribune)
CF Byron Buxton recorded a second straight three-hit game, blasted a 479-ft three-run homer, and made a highlight-reel catch as the Twins beat the Rangers, 6-2
3B Alec Bohm finished with a home run and four RBIs to help the Phillies to a 7-2 win over the Cubs
INF Marcelo Mayer - Boston’s No. 2 prospect - slugged a pair of home runs to help lead the Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the Rays
OF Andrew McCutchen hit his 241st home run as a Pirate, passing the legendary Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente for sole possession of third-place all-time on Pittsburgh’s home run list
I've said it before, Peterson has become a big time pitcher, and hope the Mets look to redo and extend his deal!
It's so awesome to see everything coming together for David. He's such a good dude, and he's had such a long road to get here. Rock on, brother. You're on it for real now.