The New York Mets will reportedly enter the 2023 season with promising starter David Peterson entrenched as the final pitcher in the team's rotation. He has beaten out Tylor Megill for the fifth and final sport after a great performance in Spring Training. The starting pitchers for the Mets are among the best in the league on paper. How they can handle the pressure will dictate their success.
Peterson achieved an ERA of 3.83 in 2022, a brilliant outing for a pitcher. Having that kind of depth at the position is a huge advantage for the Mets, who could be the best National League team this season. If he lives up to expectations, David Peterson could be crucial to the Mets for years to come.
Jon Heyman broke the news of Peterson's role with the team on Twitter.
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This is the exact development that New York Mets fans were hoping for. David Peterson has performed well at every level and has more than earned this opportunity. Seeing the team reward him for his hard work and consistency is a great sign for the organization.
The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies will both battle the Mets for the National League East crown in 2023. As such, the Mets must have excellence from their pitchers. It is a huge part of the reason they signed Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga this offseason. While the top end will almost certainly be great, they still need production from the late-rotation pitchers.
Pitching has never been more important in MLB than it is right now, which means David Peterson will have to pick up where he left off in 2022. He pitched 105.2 innings with a solid amount of success for his position. An increased workload in 2023 is to be expected, and the results have to grow as well.
New York Mets fans will be nervous all season, considering the team's high expectations, but they like the steps being taken now.
The New York Mets play in the most competitive division in baseball
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While other divisions feature two elite teams, the National League East is the only one to boast three championship-caliber teams. The Braves, the Phillies, and the Mets all have the potential to win the World Series in 2023 without being a shock. This is incredibly rare and will build a gauntlet for each team to be tested.
If the New York Mets want to prove they are the best team the MLB has to offer, they must get past their division first.