Dodgers Lose Michael Peterson on Waiver Claim to Bad National League Team

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 11, 2024

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Miami Marlins have strengthened their pitching staff by claiming Michael Petersen off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old right-hander found himself in a roster squeeze when the Dodgers designated him for assignment just two days earlier.

Petersen had made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on June 18, following a minor league deal he signed in January. Throughout his three stints with Los Angeles this season, he logged a 6.43 ERA over 11 appearances, striking out 11 while allowing eight walks and three home runs in 14 innings pitched.

The Miami Marlins today announced that RHP Michael Peterson was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In a corresponding move, RHP Brett de Geus was designated for assignment. pic.twitter.com/iNGYYkbYZ1

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 10, 2024

Before joining the Dodgers, Petersen spent several years climbing the ranks in the minor league systems of the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies. Though his time in the majors was brief and unremarkable, Petersen excelled with the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. There, he posted a stellar 1.64 ERA, an impressive 35.2 percent strikeout rate, and a respectable 6.4 percent walk rate across 33 innings of relief. This performance highlighted his potential as a reliable arm out of the bullpen.

Standing at 6-foot-7, Petersen brings an imposing presence on the mound. The British-born pitcher throws a four-seam fastball that averages 97 mph and pairs it with a cutter in the upper 80s. He is currently in the first of three option years, as the 2024 season marked the first time he was added to a major league roster.

Petersen made history as the first player born in the United Kingdom to appear in a game for the Dodgers. Born in Middlesex, a county in southeastern England that includes London, his journey to the MLB is quite unique. His father, Randall, a Californian, met his mother, Maureen, in Nigeria while on a business trip. The two reconnected in London, where they started their family, and Petersen spent his first year in England before moving to California. Growing up in Northern California, he became a Giants fan, which adds an interesting twist to his MLB career.

Petersen’s road to the majors began when he was first selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. However, he chose not to sign. He was subsequently drafted every year from 2012 to 2015 and eventually signed with the Brewers after being picked in the 17th round in 2015. In 2019, the Rockies picked him up from the Brewers in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Petersen pitched in 23 games for the Rockies' Double-A affiliate in 2023 before joining the Dodgers as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training. Now with the Marlins, he hopes to make a more lasting impact in the big leagues.