Overreacting to these 3 spring training Mets performances

3) NY Mets spring training overreaction: David Peterson has a permanent spot in the rotation

David Peterson had an awesome spring for the Mets and will find himself in the rotation to start the year. The injury to Jose Quintana combined with 12 shutout innings of one-hit ball all added up to him wiggling his way onto the Opening Day roster.

Peterson’s spring was dominant when it came to missing bats. He struck out 13 in his 12 innings of work spanning four appearances. He did, however, walk 8 batters. Thinking he’ll be Nolan Ryan this year is the ultimate overreaction. Mets fans have been tamer with him. They think he could be really good, but to think he has fully won his spot in the rotation is a leap too far.

From the minor leagues, Tylor Megill will shoot to outperform Peterson. And once Quintana is healthy, Peterson could become a victim of a roster crunch regardless of his performance. 

The bigger picture Peterson can look at is where he fits beyond the 2023 season. He’s a candidate to be an automatic starter in next season’s rotation. He has a long way to go to assure Billy Eppler he’s a suitable choice. At 15-13 with a 4.26 ERA in his career, Peterson hasn’t done quite enough. His 101 ERA+ last season suggests he was only slightly above average. He’ll need to take advantage of these early starts. A couple dozen more shutout innings will turn any overtly positive overreaction into a more sensible take.