3 September roster moves to ensure the Mets win the National League East

3) NY Mets need to figure out if David Peterson is postseason reliever material

Timing is everything when it comes to David Peterson. Push him to the bullpen too soon and you might lose a good starting pitcher option in case of an injury. Wait too long and you might not know what he can do in a big moment as a reliever.

Peterson hasn’t looked too great in the small number of relief appearances he made in the past. Given enough time to figure it out, the results could differ.

At some point around mid-September, Peterson should be used as any other left-handed reliever would be. Joely Rodriguez hasn’t been good enough this season for the Mets to confidently go into the postseason with him as the only southpaw in the bullpen. With so few favorable options, the Mets need to get a clear picture of how Peterson can participate in the postseason.

The Mets should have a few other arms back soon including Tylor Megill and hopefully Drew Smith. Things will get crowded and we could even see someone like Tommy Hunter get designated for assignment simply to clear a space.

Just like the position players, the Mets don’t have much maneuverability with their pitching staff right now. Peterson could end up left in the dust simply because he does have those options. First, the team needs to figure out if he’d be a better option over some other guys.