Don’t look so shocked when NY Mets pitcher David Peterson is even better in 2025

On one hand, David Peterson might’ve been the luckiest player on the 2024 New York Mets. His 3.67 FIP versus a 2.90 ERA tells the perfect tale of a guy who worked his way into jams and managed to escape it. This mastery of working his way out of trouble should be praised even if there are some questions remaining about exactly what he has in store for us in 2025.

For a long while, Peterson was unbeatable. His 10-3 record at the end of the year reflects how well the Mets hitters were able to support him with runs, but let’s give him the credit for the sub-3.00 ERA. Even if it came with a less than impressive 1.28 WHIP and just 7.5 strikeouts per 9, you shouldn’t look so shocked if Peterson has an even better year in 2025.

Mets pitcher David Peterson had enough signs in 2024 to tell us he could be better in 2025

A reduction of home runs down to 1.6% while limiting walks to a fellow career-low of 9%, Peterson managed to do two key things that had spoiled seasons for him in the past. Home run balls and walks coming right before them can become the biggest knock against a pitcher. This wasn’t nearly as problematic for Peterson last season in a quest to remain a ground ball pitcher. For the second straight season, he was at 50% falling shy of the 53.9% from the year prior.

Those numbers are a suggestion of what Peterson is on track to do this year. So is how well he did in the second half of the season. In 13 starts versus the 8 from the first half, he gave up just as many home runs (4) while striking out batters at a much better rate (8 per 9 vs. 6.6 per 9). 

There wasn’t a truly bad month for Peterson last year. A 3.68 ERA in June topped out as the highest. At a slightly better 3.38 in July, we do see an increase in the OPS against him from .725 to .747.

It’s those final two months of the year when Peterson was a whole new pitcher. Rolling through the first 10 starts of the year, his final 11 were superb. He was a perfect 3-0 in August with a 1.86 ERA. Managing to prevent runs with a strikeout rate of only 6.3 per 9, he didn’t walk many batters either. His 1.11 WHIP for the month was his best of any in 2024.

Roughed around slightly in September, he was still 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA. The strikeouts climbed to a monthly best of 9.7 per 9, showing off a whole new type of weaponry. His 11 strikeouts in 6 versus the Boston Red Sox in the first week of the month accounted for much of the damage. He finished the regular season strong with 7 shutout innings of 1-hit ball versus the Milwaukee Brewers in the much-needed Game 160. It couldn’t have come at a better time either as he was fresh from one of the few bad outings he had all season.

Exactly who shows up on the mound wearing number 23 for the Mets in 2025 is unpredictable as he has seen several of his seasons in the past swing to extremes. The Mets will depend on him early to be as much the same as he was last year. Kindly pick up your jaw from the floor if he is even better in many regards. He showed guts and poise last year in big spots. Never broken for any period of time, we could be in for a real treat.