The Mets’ starting staff lately has largely been a case of that time-tested baseball adage Tong, McLean and pray for rain.
Clearly it’s not quite that dire in Flushing, but the Mets’ starters aside from rookies Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean certainly have registered their fair share of iffy outings through the past several turns through the rotation.
The Mets’ resurgent offense spared David Peterson an eyesore loss on his personal record after the 2025 All-Star lefty got raked for a career-high eight runs in two-plus innings of work — his shortest stint of the season.
Despite coming back to forging an 8-8 tie in the sixth, three late runs allowed by the bullpen sent the Mets to an 11-8 home loss Saturday to the Marlins.
“He just didn’t have it today from the get-go,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Peterson after the game. “You see he didn’t get chases below the strike zone, and then when he came in the strike zone, they made him pay.
“One of those days he had to battle, but it was a struggle for him.”
Peterson has been the lone Mets starter to regularly work deep into games for much of the second half, but this was his second clunker in his past four outings.
He was tagged for six earned runs over 3 ¹/₃ innings against the Braves on Aug. 13.
The first-time All-Star was in trouble from the outset Saturday, spotting Miami a 5-0 lead on five hits in the first inning, including two-run doubles by Eric Wagaman and Joey Wiemer.
Peterson seemed to settle in with a 1-2-3 frame in the second, but the Marlins reached him for three more runs before he was able to record an out in the third for an 8-2 lead.
The first five Miami batters reached safely in the rally, including two walks.
“I think getting behind in the count, and then having to come back in, they were able to capitalize on that stuff,” Peterson said.
Mendoza replaced Peterson with Chris Devenski, who promptly got Derek Hill to bounce into a 6-4-3 double play.
He then retired Xavier Edwards on another infield out to keep the Mets within six.
Peterson sported a 5-2 record with a 2.49 ERA in 12 starts through June 11, but he has pitched to a 4.85 ERA over his past 13 outings to raise that number to a season-worst 3.61 overall.
He has worked a career-best 152 innings for the year, 31 more than he totaled in 2024.
“I’m fine,” Peterson said.
With the August promotions of McLean and Tong, the Mets currently are deploying a six-man rotation for at least one more turn, Mendoza said before the game.
McLean has won his first three big league starts with a 0.89 ERA, and Tong allowed just one earned run over five innings Friday night for his first win.
Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea, who have dealt with injuries this season, and converted reliever Clay Holmes (career-high 142 ¹/₃ innings) round out the starting staff.
“I’m not concerned, because I know that they’re good and they’re talented. But we haven’t been able to have consistent starts,” Mendoza said. “Petey has been very consistent for us, and he had a tough one today.
“But I believe in Sean Manaea. I believe in Kodai Senga. Clay has been very consistent for us. So I trust those guys. They’ll continue to step up, and yeah, we’re gonna get into this month where every game continues to be important. We’re gonna count on those guys … and stay right behind them.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
