PHILADELPHIA -- This time, David Peterson’s tenure in the Mets rotation really could be coming to an end.
There are, of course, no guarantees that anything will change. Twice already this season, the Mets have demoted Peterson from their rotation, only to rethink things largely due to a lack of alternatives. But Peterson’s latest loss, in which he walked the first two batters he faced and allowed five runs (four earned) in a 6-2 loss to the Phillies, will again force Mets officials to rethink their starting five.
“We’ve got to see what we’ve got here in the upcoming days,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “People need to step up. We will have conversations, I’m pretty sure. But too early to tell.”
One alternative, Kodai Senga, is already back in the Mets’ rotation. Another, Christian Scott, could return from the injured list as soon as next weekend. That means time may be running short for Peterson -- an All-Star last season -- to prove he belongs in a starting unit that also includes Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean and Sean Manaea.
His recent results don’t make a compelling argument. Over his last three outings, Peterson holds a 10.97 ERA with seven strikeouts and six walks over 10 2/3 innings. The four innings he completed against Philadelphia gave him his longest outing of June. It also marked the one-month anniversary of Peterson’s last win.
On Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, all the damage against Peterson came in the first two innings. After the left-hander walked Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, third baseman Brett Baty committed a throwing error to allow a run to score. A second run came home on an infield single, before Schwarber added to his prodigious weekend power tally with a three-run homer in the second.
“I wasn’t very pleased with walking the first two guys,” Peterson said.
Though Peterson recovered to retire the final eight batters he faced and felt good about those adjustments, it was too little, too late for a Mets team that completed its six-game road trip with a 2-4 record. Under different circumstances, that might have registered as nothing more than a disappointing week. Given the hill the Mets must climb to return to contention, it instead marked another concerning development.
“It’s tough,” said Mets outfielder Juan Soto. “But it’s just part of baseball. We’ve just got to be a little bit more consistent.”
More specifically, the Mets must find starting pitching answers as quickly as possible. Peterson has not consistently proven to be one of those.
“They know that they have to be better,” Mendoza said. “That’s where it starts. We expect more out of them, and they expect more out of themselves.”
Whether change occurs soon could depend on multiple factors. Scott, who is recovering from a right hip impingement, is not eligible to return from the injured list until Saturday. The Mets have five games in five days before then, meaning Peterson’s spot in the rotation will surface again before Scott is able to take the mound. That doesn’t necessarily mean Peterson will earn another start, as the Mets could go with a bullpen game or use the left-hander in long relief. But it does limit their choices.
It’s worth noting that there is significant rain in the forecast Monday in Queens, where the Mets are about to open a seven-game homestand. That also could change the equation for New York.
Those factors aside, the Peterson issue has become a long-term problem. Since last Aug. 6, a stretch that began shortly after he pitched in the All-Star Game, Peterson has a 6.98 ERA over 25 appearances. It’s a significant sample of poor performance for the veteran, who knows he must be better if he wants to keep his spot in New York’s rotation.
“I’m not necessarily focused on that,” Peterson said. “It’s kind of been week-to-week. Get back home and talk to Mendy … about the plan going forward and see where we’re at and go from there. But my job regardless of the role is to continue to put in good work and be ready for when I am given the ball.”