David Peterson's return to starting rotation represents chance to show he belongs in 2024

BALTIMORE — Buck Showalter was sure there were rumblings in the wake of the Mets' trades of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

If not David Peterson, then who would fill in the vacated spot in the team's starting rotation? The southpaw had presented himself well in the bullpen. Should he remain there?

When asked how he viewed Peterson before the trade deadline last week, Showalter was unequivocal. The Mets manager saw the 27-year-old as a starter.

After the Mets' two aces were dealt, Peterson received his chance back in that role against the Orioles on Friday night. He finished with three scoreless innings and one strikeout while allowing one hit and three walks on 52 pitches. The lefty called it annoying to be on a pitch count but knows it's the process of building back up.

Peterson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first inning, inducing an inning-ending strikeout of Ryan O'Hearn with a low slider. Then, he started to settle in. He erased a walk with a double play in the second inning and worked a 1-2-3 third inning.

"It's three shutout innings at the end of the day, but it's a step," Buck Showalter said. "We were trying to keep him under 60 tonight and wanted him to kind of set up for the next guy too and Pete would be coming out that next inning, so the three ups. Four, if he had his pitch count down."

"It's a good step for him and we can stretch him a little more each time."

The bullpen, meanwhile, was tagged for 10 earned runs across the final five innings and the Mets dropped a 10-3 loss to the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The defeat was the Mets' fourth straight since the trade deadline as they slipped to 50-59.

David Peterson in all the roles

Entering the season, there was high hopes that Peterson would be able to flourish in the team's No. 5 starter role after throwing 12 scoreless innings in spring training.

After deploying his slider as his best strikeout pitch in 2022, a lack of efficiency with that pitch and rough control inflated his ERA to 8.08 and WHIP to 1.74 through his first eight starts. Peterson was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on May 16. He made three starts after returning in late June but was relegated to the bullpen upon Jose Quintana's return from the injured list.

In eight innings in six relief appearances, Peterson struck out eight and allowed two runs on three hits and three walks.

"The work that I did when I got demoted was the start of it," Peterson said of what lent itself to better performances of late. "There was a reason for that and it was a valid reason. I didn't start the way I wanted to or the way the team wanted to, so I needed to get back to who I am and I think I have."

With only two starting pitchers under contract for the 2023 season, this final two-month stretch will be big for Peterson to prove that he deserves a spot in next season's rotation. Peterson is arbitration eligible for the first time this offseason.

"Every opportunity you get with the ball is an opportunity to state your case," Peterson said. "This has kind of been something that I've done the past couple of years, kind of going back and forth between Triple-A, the bullpen and starting. Personally, I'm focused on taking the ball every firth day and building on the recent success that I've had and continue that."

Mets bullpen blown up

James McCann was able to exact his revenge against his former team on Friday night.

The former Mets catcher, who was traded from the Mets this offseason and is still being paid by the team, was the driving force behind the Orioles' offensive onslaught against the Mets' bullpen.

McCann connected on a two-run single against John Curtiss to open the scoring and a ripped two-run double against Phil Bickford to build the Orioles' lead to 5-2 after Francisco Lindor had blooped a game-tying two-run single in the sixth. McCann finished 3-for-3 with five RBI and a stolen base.

The middle of the Mets' bullpen was shredded by the Orioles' bats. Curtiss gave up two earned runs on two hits and one walk, while Bickford was gashed for four earned runs on three hits and one walk over ⅓ inning as the Orioles built their lead to 6-2.

Then, Reed Garrett escaped the sixth inning but gave up a three-run home run to Jordan Westburg. He was charged with four earned runs in ⅔ inning.

"We need to play better and some people that are getting an opportunity have to take advantage of it," Showalter said. "Pitchers, position players and guys like Lindor, they're doing what they can do. We tie that game up there in the sixth, but have got some pitching issues."

Buck Showalter back in Birdland

Showalter is in his 21st season managing a major league team, but his longest stint came in Baltimore between 2010 and 2018. The Mets manager returned to the spot where he spent almost half of his managerial career for the first time since leaving that post on Friday.

The Orioles played a video tribute to their former manager, who helped the team reach the playoffs on three separate occasions.

"I'm really happy that the fans of the Orioles — they're as good as it gets — are getting some return for their support," Showalter said before the game. "It's like we hope to do with our fans. Have some good times, like last year, and had some challenges this year but they're self inflicted."

A lot of parallels can be drawn between the Mets and Orioles. The Orioles began a rebuild in 2018 - Showalter's last season with the team. The Orioles, which lead the AL East with a 68-42 record, are starting to see the strong returns of their youth movement.

After a big deadline, the Mets are hoping the same will come down the road.

"You take each day and you grind it. Things can happen quicker than some people might perceive," Showalter said. "And sometimes they take a little longer, but we're dealing with human beings. Things change quickly. It's not always played on a stat sheet."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: David Peterson returns as starting pitcher vs. Orioles