David Peterson walked off the mound with a quiet intensity, no visible outburst, no dramatic gestures. But anyone paying attention could see it: the left-hander was simmering. He had just held the Washington Nationals to one hit over 5.1 innings and was cruising with just 77 pitches. Yet the call came from the dugout, and his night was done. It wasn’t the scoreboard that told the full story; it was the fire in Peterson’s eyes.

That edge didn’t go unnoticed. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, in his first year navigating New York’s clubhouse dynamics, acknowledged something deeper behind Peterson’s quiet demeanor. This wasn’t just a pitcher having a good game. This was a competitor who wanted the ball, who believed the mound still belonged to him. And Mendoza wasn’t about to criticize that. If anything, he welcomed it.

“He wants to be in the biggest moments of the game. Like he wants the baseball. Big game, he wants to be the guy. Bases loaded against the best hitter, he wants to be there,” Mendoza told the reporters pre-game. “Just a few times I took him earlier, you know, he was pissed. So, I like that.” That mindset, according to Mendoza, isn’t just about pride; it’s about identity.

Peterson isn’t the loudest guy in the room, but he’s one of the most intentional. Mendoza recalled early spring training, when Peterson wasn’t even cleared to pitch competitively. “He was still rehabbing, and I remember him, he was one of the few ones that, you know, early in the morning will come in and chat, just kind of get to know each other. And that, for me, kind of stuck out.”

Since making a comeback to the pitching field, Peterson has displayed a certain determination in small yet impactful ways. Adapting his pitches with precision, with each throw and maintaining composure during tense moments of the game, and yes, his disappointment when the ball is snatched away from his grip. This type of old-school competitiveness doesn’t always show up in statistics, but it unifies the clubhouse and plays a vital role.

The Mets are still searching for stability in 2025, but in Peterson, Mendoza perceives more than a dependable pitcher. He sees determination and courage in himself as he faces challenges. A guy who wants the smoke. If taking him out leads to witnessing that passion more. Mendoza is okay, with that as well. In a lineup that has undergone trials and changes one thing is certain. Peterson isn’t just making a return; he’s making a statement.

David Peterson delivers first career shutout as Mets blank Nationals 5-0 at Citi Field

David Peterson didn’t just pitch well; he owned the night at Citi Field. On June 11, the left-handed pitcher delivered a performance by pitching his very first complete game shutout as the Mets secured a victory against the Washington Nationals with a score of 5 to 0. Peterson displayed his skills from the start of the game by striking out the seven batters he faced and skillfully maneuvering through the Nationals’ lineup with confidence. He finished the night with 106 pitches, six strikeouts, no walks, and only six hits allowed, carving through innings like a veteran in full command.

What stood out beyond the stat line was Peterson’s calm under pressure. In the seventh, with two Nationals on base and momentum threatening to shift, he struck out two and induced a groundout to escape unscathed. Then in the eighth, right fielder Tyrone Taylor came up big, gunning down a runner at the plate to preserve the shutout and electrify the Citi Field crowd. That defensive gem only fueled Peterson more, as he needed just nine pitches in the ninth to seal the deal, ending the night with a groundball out that brought the stadium to its feet.

After the game, Peterson admitted this kind of night was something he’d always envisioned. “It’s awesome, you dream of doing stuff like this,” he said. “To be able to go all nine was something very special.” Manager Carlos Mendoza trusted his starter to finish what he started, and Peterson rewarded that faith with one of the most dominant performances by a Mets lefty in years. Not since 2019 had a left-hander thrown a shutout for New York.

With an ERA now down to 2.49 and a five-game win streak at their backs, the Mets might’ve just found their tone-setter, and the crowd at Citi Field? They knew it the moment he walked off the mound.