Why a Contract Extension For David Peterson makes sense for the Mets

The New York Mets have a lot of short-term deals in their starting rotation. So could a contract extension for David Peterson make sense for the organization's roster-building strategy?

Mike Phillips | Mar 21, 2025

Mar 13, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

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New York Mets

The New York Mets have had to build their starting rotation on the fly over the past few years. With president of baseball operations David Stearns' well-established preference to avoid handing long-term deals to starting pitchers, the Mets have filled their rotation out with hurlers on short-term deals that often include opt-outs.

This strategy does mitigate long-term risk of injury, but it is hard to construct a perennial contender knowing that several rotation spots are up for grabs every winter. The Mets had a good hit rate on their short-term deals in 2024 for Sean Manaea (who since re-signed for three more years) and Luis Severino, but banking on filling your rotation every winter with fliers is inherently risky.

There is some progress for the Mets on this front as Manaea's new deal, combined with the fact that Kodai Senga is highly unlikely to secure enough innings to activate an opt-out after this season, should give them two arms to build around for the next three years. With Frankie Montas having the ability to opt-out after this year and Clay Holmes only around for two guaranteed years, the Mets could use more security in their rotation as they wait for a crop of young prospects to develop.

.@_David_Peterson lookin' sharp 👀 pic.twitter.com/eWxzhMe7OG
— New York Mets (@Mets) March 4, 2025

One such route would involve working on a contract extension for David Peterson, who will be a free agent after the 2026 season at age 31. Peterson became a big part of the Mets' plans after a strong 2024 season that saw him stabilize the starting rotation and become a postseason weapon out of the bullpen, working to a 2.90 ERA in 121 innings pitched.

ATTA BOY, @_David_Peterson! pic.twitter.com/IlkevTyetD
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 18, 2024

While Peterson's upside may not be much more than a mid-rotation arm, those arms can get expensive in free agency, as evidenced by the contracts Montas and Holmes got from the Mets this winter. Signing Peterson to a contract extension now would allow the team to buy out two free agent years in exchange for a slight salary bump next season.

Peterson is earning just over $4.5 million through salary arbitration, which is a bargain for a pitcher capable of delivering quality innings in a big league rotation. Tacking on another three years and $30 million to Peterson's current contract would give him a salary in line with Holmes' deal while securing a key part of the Mets' rotation for the near-term.

An extension could also be appealing to Peterson, who has had his share of ups and downs as a big leaguer, to give him some sort of financial security for the future. While Peterson could increase his arbitration salary with a strong performance in 2025, two years is a long time to wait to test free agency, especially with a potential lockout looming after the 2026 season.

Signing Peterson would not only provide the Mets cost certainty for a key rotation member but lock up a third pitcher for the medium term alongside Senga and Manaea. Keeping Peterson in the fold via an extension would allow Stearns to be more selective in free agency and buy time for the Mets to develop their next wave of pitching prospects without rushing them through the farm system.

This contract would keep Peterson in Flushing through the 2028 season, when he would be pitching as a 32-year old. The timeline would fit Stearns' preferred model of capitalizing on a player's prime years and also give Peterson a chance to test the market at that point, making it a win-win for both sides.

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