PORT ST. LUCIE — David Peterson’s buildup for the regular season is nearing completion.
And following Carlos Carrasco’s right hamstring tear that will place him on the injured list, Peterson can count on that start to the season coming in the Mets rotation.
Peterson threw 74 pitches in a simulated game Saturday, a day after manager Luis Rojas said the left-hander was likely for the rotation. Peterson began the spring competing with Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto, among others, for a spot.
“My goal all along has been to come in and show the coaching staff and the organization and the guys in that locker room that I am ready to contribute again at the big league level, and the goal for me is to be in the rotation,” Peterson said at Clover Park. “My work has in spring training has been about as ready as possible to go every fifth day and let the rest take care of itself.”
Peterson added that he hasn’t been told yet by Rojas that he’s in the rotation. Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker line up as the first three.
David Peterson AP“I would say [Peterson] is in a really good position right now to be in that fourth spot in the rotation,” Rojas said.
“You have to go off the stuff and the same stuff that we saw last year play at the big league level is the stuff we’re seeing now in camp.”
Dominic Smith took at-bats and played left field in the simulated game and will likely return to Grapefruit League action Sunday. Smith has been bothered by a sore right wrist that kept him sidelined from games in recent days.
“He looked really good today — he had a plus day,” Rojas said. “He went to left field and he had a few chances, and I like his reads. We are getting his innings defensively because he missed the last couple of games and that is something we thought about.”
DeGrom will start Sunday against the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla., in the Mets’ first “National League game” of the spring — Rojas will let pitchers take at-bats for the first time.
