David Peterson is fast becoming the poster boy for the New York Mets wayward season. The starter was rocked by the Washington Nationals Monday afternoon to the tune of nine hits and six earned runs over just five innings.Washington went on to win the game handily, 10-3, as the Mets defense and hitting followed Peterson's pitiful lead.SNY Mets@SNY_MetsDavid Peterson is done after 5 innings.Peterson has an 8.08 ERA in 8 starts this season.15211David Peterson is done after 5 innings.Peterson has an 8.08 ERA in 8 starts this season. https://t.co/ZLSlm9aPOBThe New York Mets were expecting, if not great, then at least solid, performances out of David Peterson this season after he went 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA in 2022. He was a swingman in the Mets pitching staff last year, starting 19 games and relieving in nine.However, 2023 has played out even worse than his 2-6, 5.54 ERA effort over 15 starts in 2021.Michael White@whitemi5@SNY_Mets @SNYtv What an enormous disappointment he has been 7@SNY_Mets @SNYtv What an enormous disappointment he has been 😡Eric @ Queens South@NewLife__2019@SNY_Mets His ERA was so bad, didn't go up very much. But, sadly, Mets can't score off the second worst Lefty in the league.8@SNY_Mets His ERA was so bad, didn't go up very much. But, sadly, Mets can't score off the second worst Lefty in the league.Mr. Glass Half-Full@MisterGHF@SNY_Mets One of the worst pitchers in the league. That’s no hyperbole.9@SNY_Mets One of the worst pitchers in the league. That’s no hyperbole.With Monday's shellacking, David Peterson's ERA soared from a stratospheric 7.68 to a low-earth orbit level of 8.08.It's been quite a fall from grace after he allowed just one earned run over five innings as the New York Mets lost 2-1 to the Miami Marlins on March 31.Monday's start was the third time in eight starts that Peterson has allowed six or more earned runs in a start. He has pitched six innings in a start just once, but also gave up six earned runs on that day, an 8-6 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 17.Stacy NYC@Hustlediva1@SNY_Mets Thank god. Let’s hope it was his last start in the majors18@SNY_Mets Thank god. Let’s hope it was his last start in the majorskap@hopefulmetsfan@SNY_Mets The Mets have a 400M payroll and are employing guys like him in their rotation Billy Eppler is a joke of a GM231@SNY_Mets The Mets have a 400M payroll and are employing guys like him in their rotation Billy Eppler is a joke of a GMThe Mets Give Me Agita@MetsGiveMeAgita@SNY_Mets He's regressed horribly. See ya, Davey3@SNY_Mets He's regressed horribly. See ya, DaveyDavid Peterson was a first-round pick, 20th overall, of the New York Mets in the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. He pitched 56 minor-league games, logging a 12-20 record with a 3.81 ERA from Single-A through Triple-A before making his big-league debut in 2020.Robert Link@Robert25996@Hustlediva1 @SNY_Mets Mets need to release him asap among others@Hustlediva1 @SNY_Mets Mets need to release him asap among othersANGRY ALBANIAN ( ANDY )@albanian_angry@SNY_Mets @SNYtv Hopefully Peterson is done being a #LGM13@SNY_Mets @SNYtv Hopefully Peterson is done being a #LGMEddie Velez@EddieVelezATL@SNY_Mets Can the @Mets just reassign David Peterson to the Aleutian Islands? PLEEEEEASE send him SOMEWHERE!!!!!1@SNY_Mets Can the @Mets just reassign David Peterson to the Aleutian Islands? PLEEEEEASE send him SOMEWHERE!!!!!In 2020, Peterson pitched in 10 games, making nine starts. He went 6-2 with a 3.44 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 49-2/3 innings. He's balanced an awful season with a good season over his three-plus major league campaigns so far.Francojdelvalle@FJDelValle@SNY_Mets people asking “what happened to him?” as if he hasn’t been a bit worse than mid, to god awful his entire career outside of 2020 1@SNY_Mets people asking “what happened to him?” as if he hasn’t been a bit worse than mid, to god awful his entire career outside of 2020 😂David Peterson is far from the New York Mets' only problemPete Alonso #20 and Brett Baty #22 of the New York Mets celebrate after Alonso hit a home runIf David Peterson was the only problem the Mets had, he might be easily dealt with. However, Peterson's poor showing this year is just one of the many ways that the Mets' season has gone sour.The Mets have been sour in all facets of the game. New York has not had a home run since May 10, when first baseman Pete Alonso hit a homer against the Cincinnati Reds.