David Peterson strong for six in beating Reds

Peterson ends the regular season having allowed three runs over 21 1/3 innings in his final four starts. He’s 6-2 with a 3.70 ERA overall in 15 starts and one relief appearance since being picked up from the Mets. It’s going to be really interesting to see how the Cubs deal with the rotation in the postseason, given that Peterson, Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga are all currently performing better than Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman, both of whom seemed like locks to be among the team’s top three starters a few weeks ago.

The decision bumps Clay Holmes back to Friday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox with David Peterson expected to start the other contest. It’s a nice break for fantasy managers as Boyd draws a much easier matchup to close out the regular season.

It’s unclear how the Red Sox are going to handle the situation since they’re ostensibly locked into the second Wild Card spot heading into the playoffs next week. Patrick Sandoval was scheduled to start Sunday’s season finale and will presumably get the ball on Saturday instead, weather permitting. Jake Bennett, Payton Tolle and Brayan Bello are also in the mix to pitch as well. It’ll be Matthew Boyd and David Peterson most getting the ball for the Cubs during the twin bill with Justin Steele (elbow) in the mix to return from the injured list this weekend. There are a ton of variables that fantasy managers need to monitor with Boston facing inclement weather from roughly Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.

Peterson gave up three hits, walked three and struck out seven. He improved to 8-8 with the win. Peterson rebounded after failing to complete five innings in each of his last two starts. He has a 4.15 ERA in 13 starts since he joined the Cubs. Peterson is lined up to face the Reds on the road this weekend.

The run came right away in the first, but Peterson, who walled six hits and walked three, was in trouble throughout. When he was lifted from a 1-1 game, it was with runners on first and second and one out in the fifth. Neither runner scored, though, as a single with two outs saw Jackson Chourio barely get thrown out at home to end the inning. Peterson failed to complete five innings for the second straight start, but he did keep the Cubs in the game. He’ll likely face the Braves next on Monday.

Peterson had a rough time with the Brewers here. It was arduous from the jump as he managed to struggle through a 33-pitch first inning after retiring the first two batters he faced. There were no homers and no balls were hit particularly hard, but the Brewers battled, worked deep counts, found holes, and eventually Peterson let his frustration take over with a four-pitch walk to Gary Sánchez with the bases loaded. The fourth inning went in a very similar way and Cubs’ manager Craig Counsell pulled Peterson before he could get through it. This is still just the second time in 12 starts since being traded to the Cubs where he’s let up more than two runs and he’ll have a chance to get right in his next scheduled start against these same Brewers in Milwaukee. That will begin a two-start week where he also faces the Pirates at home.

Peterson departed with a one-run lead, only to see Trent Thornton give up five runs in the sixth. It’s Peterson’s fourth no-decision to go along with one run in five starts this month. Oddly enough, the victory came in the only one of the starts in which he allowed more than two runs. He’ll face the Brewers next.

Peterson surrendered a leadoff homer to Randy Arozarena in the first inning. He settled in for three scoreless innings before giving up one more run in the fifth on a bases-loaded groundout. Peterson would give the Cubs one more scoreless frame, ending his day after six innings with eight strikeouts. The 30-year-old left-hander will take a 5.17 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and a 103/49 K/BB ratio across 118 1/3 innings into a start against the Reds in Chicago on Friday.

Peterson hasn’t pitched poorly since joining the Cubs, but he’ll get squeezed back into a long relief role for the time being now that Cabrera is ready to return. That should strip away any lingering mixed league fantasy value that he may have had.

Peterson gave up nine hits, walked three and struck out six. He improved to 7-7 on the season with the win. Since coming over to the Cubs this year, Peterson is 4-1 with a 4.19 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 43 innings over eight starts. He’s lined up to face the White Sox at home next Tuesday, but won’t get a two-start week with the Cubs only playing six games next week.