A NY Mets contract extension candidate David Stearns shouldn't ignore

While it's never too early to look into the future as a New York Mets fan, as many of us play daily armchair General Manager, the Mets have a player that has been flying under most people's radar and who has been quietly putting together an impressive resume that could make him some good money next offseason. If you are having any trouble thinking about who I'm speaking of, that player is none other than left-handed starting pitcher David Peterson.

While only 29-years old, Peterson has turned into the pitcher many Mets fans envisioned he would become as a former first round pick out of the University of Oregon when the organization selected him 20th overall back in the 2017 MLB Draft. After some mixed results during his first four seasons in the Majors, Peterson underwent hip surgery after the 2023 season concluded and it seems that may have been a huge catalyst into his recent success.

David Peterson has been a revelation for the Mets pitching staff and he should be viewed as a long-term piece.

While the surgery may have gotten him right physically it's also impossible to discredit the work Pitching Coach Jeremy Hefner and the famous Pitching Lab has done with Peterson over the course of the last calendar year in improving his results on the mound. Over 21 starts for the Mets last season, Peterson put together the best statistical season of his career where he pitched to a 2.90 ERA with a 1.289 WHIP and helped lead the Mets into the 2024 postseason.

In a league that values starting pitching depth it would be of best interest to David Stearns and the Mets to see what it would take to lock Peterson up long term. It would be a great move for the Mets from the sense they aren't investing in a pitcher who relies solely on velocity, but more so on keeping hitters off-balance with his wide arsenal of pitches, including his nasty sinker. There is also plenty of tread left on Peterson's left arm as he hasn't thrown more than 121 innings in a given season, which was his career high last year.

Peterson is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2026 season concludes, and if the Mets wanted to explore an extension right now they could easily buy out his last arbitration year, as well as tack on a few extra years to keep Peterson in Queens as a fixture in the starting rotation for the rest of this decade.