Cardinals Rout Cubs 17-1 in David Peterson’s Wrigley Debut

The Chicago Cubs entered the Friday night matchup with a depleted starting rotation, prompting a trade that sent David Peterson from the New York Mets to Chicago. The move was intended to shore up innings for a tattered rotation. Peterson had previously faced St. Louis in New York, surrendering 16 hits and 16 runs over 7.1 innings.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

St. Louis struck early, posting three runs in the second inning and three more in the third. By the fourth, the Cardinals added five runs, four of which were charged to Peterson. He recorded 11 outs on 91 pitches before being removed. Six of the ten runs he allowed came on two home runs, one by Church and another a three-run shot with two outs. In the fourth, Peterson walked the bases loaded and surrendered a two-run single. Reliever Bryse Wilson then entered, later allowing a three-run homer to Masyn Winn, with two of those runs charged to Peterson. Wilson finished with seven runs in 3.1 innings. The Cubs managed a solitary run in the seventh when Pedro Ramírez tripled and Alex Bregman doubled him home.

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laughSt. Louis Post-Dispatch

The 17-1 defeat became the Cubs’ 17th loss by at least 16 runs and the 11th such loss at home. According to fan commentary, the most runs the Cubs had previously allowed after a 20-run victory was ten, a benchmark now surpassed. The loss also approaches the franchise’s historical margin against St. Louis, whose worst win over Chicago was an 18-run victory in 1977.

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

Commentary from the game recap suggests that deploying Peterson against St. Louis was ill-advised, noting his inability to consistently retire hitters. The same analysis questions Bryse Wilson’s reliability, observing his frequent organizational changes over recent seasons.

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

One source records Peterson allowing ten runs, six of which resulted from two home runs. Another source details the inning-by-inning sequence, which appears to total six runs charged to Peterson before his removal. The discrepancy highlights a lack of consensus on the exact run total attributed to him.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

• “First, about that blowout loss after the blowout win, from BCB’s JohnW53: The most runs that the Cubs ever had allowed before in a game immediately after one in which they had scored at least 20 was 10.” — JohnW53, Fan Commentator

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

• “What I want to say about David Peterson’s first Wrigley Field start as a Cub is this: He just could not put away hitters, or innings.” — Bleed Cubbie Blue author

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

• “Maybe just don’t start him against the Cardinals?” — Bleed Cubbie Blue author

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

• “One can see why Wilson has been in five organizations in the last four years.” — Bleed Cubbie Blue author

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh

The Cubs will host the Cardinals again on Saturday evening. Shota Imanaga is slated to start for Chicago, while Kyle Leahy will take the mound for St. Louis. Light rain fell during the Friday game’s opening hour, but conditions cleared before the first pitch.

Cardinals 17, Cubs 1: Hey, David Peterson! All you can do is laugh