Carlos Mendoza announced on Saturday that the Mets will maintain their current five-man rotation without adding another starter for the upcoming game on Thursday. This means David Peterson will take the mound on Wednesday, marking his fourth regular start of the season.
Interestingly, Peterson has struggled with a 7.71 ERA over his three outings with four days of rest. In contrast, when he gets five days off, his ERA drops significantly to 2.35 across 14 starts. It’s worth noting that both Peterson and Clay Holmes have logged more innings this season than in any previous year of their careers. Mendoza emphasized that he is looking for ways to optimize his starters’ performances.
Mendoza pointed out that, like Peterson, Holmes has encountered challenges as well, featuring a 3.32 ERA when getting an extra day of rest but struggling with a 4.91 ERA otherwise. “These are the kinds of discussions we have,” Mendoza remarked, highlighting their aim for better outcomes even without a sixth starter.
Peterson echoed a similar sentiment, stating he’s adaptable to various setups as long as he gets adequate preparation time. He also noted that his inconsistent numbers were primarily due to just a couple of subpar appearances; the rest were fine.
“They could be on a roll,” Peterson said, reflecting on the ups and downs of pitching.
Cedric Mullins, acquired from the Orioles at the trade deadline, made an impact by scoring during Saturday’s 12-6 win, which left Tyrone Taylor sidelined. This benching may become a new norm for Taylor, especially as he grapples with an 18-10 record and a lackluster .467 OPS over his last 68 games. He had shown more promise earlier this season.
While reporting on his performance, Taylor admitted he’s struggled against right-handed pitchers this season, and even worse against left-handed ones, but he’s aiming to contribute, albeit in limited opportunities. “I get the situation; I’ve faced it before,” Taylor said, indicating his understanding of the team’s dynamics.
He expressed frustration over his productivity and emphasized his desire to improve for the team’s benefit: “I’m grateful to be here, but I want to step up. It frustrates me, to be honest. I just want to do better.”
In other news, Joel Sherman of the Post mentioned that the Mets designated Rico Garcia after Saturday’s game, since he pitched the ninth inning and the team needs fresh arms for their upcoming matches. Francisco Alvarez also made a comeback to the lineup for the first time since sustaining an injury during a game against San Diego, managing to score after going 1-for-4 with a single.
