David Peterson, Robbie Ray go head-to-head as Mets visit Giants

David Peterson will get an opportunity to personally thank Robbie Ray for his All-Star invitation when they go head-to-head on the mound as the New York Mets and host San Francisco Giants continue their three-game series on Saturday evening.

Francisco Lindor hit his 20th home run of the season, and the first four batters in the Mets' order combined for seven hits, six RBIs and four runs, lifting New York to a trip-opening 8-1 romp over the Giants on Friday night.

Peterson (6-4, 2.90 ERA) appeared destined to watch last week's All-Star Game on television before the Giants elected to start Ray on the Sunday before the showcase, disqualifying him from pitching in Atlanta.

Shortly after Ray was formally listed as the projected starter, Peterson got the call that he'd be the veteran's replacement.

Coincidentally, Peterson followed the Giants' Logan Webb to the mound in the All-Star Game. Each threw a scoreless inning -- Webb the third, Peterson the fourth -- in the 6-6 contest that ended with their National League team winning a home run contest.

Peterson continued the form that earned him the All-Star nod in his first start after the break, limiting the Cincinnati Reds to one unearned run over six innings in his team's 3-2 win last Sunday.

It was another indication he's fully healthy after he underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his left hip after the 2023 campaign, with the rehab delaying his 2024 debut until May 29 and limiting his innings last season to 121.

He's already reached 115 innings this season -- not counting the one inning he threw in the All-Star Game.

"For me after the surgery, it was just getting back to being healthy, getting used to the new range of motion and all that came with the surgery," the left-hander told reporters before the break. "It was nice to have a full, regular off-season (leading into the 2025 season) to work on my strength and get that back. It's been good. It's kind of what I've always thought was in there."

Peterson has made three career starts against the Giants, going 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA.

While each team also had an All-Star on the mound to start Friday's game, the Mets' Clay Holmes and Giants' Webb made it through just five and four innings, respectively.

Taxing a bullpen in a series opener is never good, but it puts pressure on Ray to go deep into Saturday's game because the Giants have lost two starters in the last week.

With ineffective Hayden Birdsong having gotten demoted to the minors and Landen Roupp forced onto the 15-day injured list with a sore elbow, the Giants already have designated Sunday as a bullpen day.

"Look, it feels like every team goes through it, and sometimes when it rains, it pours a little bit," Giants manager Bob Melvin bemoaned to reporters before Friday's game. "We do have some guys we like in Triple-A as far as the depth goes, so we'll see where that goes -- and we'll see what the deadline brings."

Ray (9-4, 2.92 ERA) came out of the All-Star break with one of his worst outings of the season, tagged for five runs in 4 1/3 innings by the host Toronto Blue Jays in an 8-6 loss last Sunday. But the left-hander has had success against the Mets, going 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA against them in seven lifetime starts.

- Field Level Media