The David Peterson Trade Was a No-Brainer for the New York Mets

Yesterday, the Chicago Cubs swept the New York Mets in a doubleheader where they scored 10 runs in each game, and where the Mets committed a whopping six errors in the nightcap. After enduring the brutal losses in front of their home fans, the Mets ended the day 12 games under .500 and nine games out of a playoff spot.

That playoff spot belongs to the Cubs. A team that was desperate for starting pitching after watching Edward Cabrera carted off with a hamstring injury in the first game of the series, and Ben Brown also moved to the IL with a neck injury.

With the Mets’ chances at making a run looking less and less likely, and the Cubs’ needs in their rotation being prominent enough that they needed a solution right now, these two teams came to terms on a trade mid-series.

David Peterson will be clearing his locker out at Citi Field and moving over to the other side to sit with his new teammates on the Chicago Cubs later tonight.

Why This Trade Comes as a Bit of a Surprise

Earlier this week, on an episode of my podcast ‘Locked On Mets’, I discussed what the Mets have to sell at this year’s trade deadline. When I listed the candidates, David Peterson’s name wasn’t even on my list.

Clearly, this was an oversight, but one that came from the performance we had seen from the southpaw this season. Peterson has pitched to a 6.09 ERA this season, and his numbers look even worse when starting games, as he has struggled to a 7.71 ERA across eight starts.

Peterson has been in and out of the Mets’ rotation this year, often pitching to more success when following an opener rather than getting a straight start. On the surface, you would think his struggles would not make him very attractive, but the Cubs see a 6’6″ left-hander who is fully stretched out and was an All-Star last season.

They believe Peterson will pitch better with a change of scenery, and especially with their stellar defense behind him. They also don’t presently have any better internal options, which makes Peterson the perfect band-aid to put on their rotation right now and hope they see some better results.

Meanwhile, the Mets are removing what could have been a band-aid for their own struggling rotation, one that presently lacks a fifth starter. Peterson was set to pitch either behind an opener or take a start for the Mets on Friday against the Phillies. Now, they will have to look towards the depth that was already failing them.

This was a trade the Mets could not have made lightly, as Peterson was their longest-tenured player, and one who was likely to eat a lot of innings for the rest of the season.

Dealing Peterson now, instead of waiting until the deadline, is the first public admission the Mets have made that they are trending more towards being sellers than buyers.

Why the Mets Had to Make This Trade

According to Will Sammon’s reporting in the Athletic, “the trade does not indicate that the Mets are starting a sell-off.” Rather, Sammon notes, “In moving on from Peterson, the Mets are freeing up a spot in their rotation, recognizing the guys they were using simply were not getting the job done.”

So based on this reporting, the Mets are “freeing up a spot in their rotation”, but the problem is they have no one to fill it. Top prospects Jonah Tong and Zach Thornton are on the 40-man roster, but neither has been pitching particularly well in Syracuse.

Kodai Senga was just moved to the bullpen after his latest meltdown of a start on Tuesday night, Clay Holmes will still be on the IL for at least another month with a fractured fibula, and Christian Scott is not even officially back from a hip injury (although he is expected to return this weekend).

Still, this might have been the Mets’ only chance to move Peterson, and they ended up getting a legit prospect back in return.

Cole Mathis is a 22-year-old slugger who was drafted in the second round back in 2024. While he has struggled to stay on the field due to elbow problems, Mathis is a very promising talent.

In 39 games played this season between Low-A and High-A, Mathis has hit .272/.396/.585, with 10 home runs and a 149 wRC+.

While there is no guarantee that he is going to ascend to be a top prospect for the Mets, this was a pretty great flier to take when all you have to give up is a rental who hurt you more than he helped you this season.

Peterson was not in line to receive a qualifying offer and if he stayed with the Mets, there is no telling if he would have hurt or helped his trade value over the coming weeks. The Mets were wise to take the bird in hand, especially considering the upside that Mathis has offensively.

The injury concerns are real for Mathis, who was on the IL right now, but that is why the Cubs are willing to deal him. This trade just makes sense for both sides, as the Cubs are more desperate to win now, and the Mets are wisely being realistic towards their circumstances.

Who Gets Traded Next?

The New York Mets will tell you that they are not selling right now, but behind closed doors, they would be foolish not to be preparing for that task.

With rental relievers like A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley, along with the rental they traded two top 100 prospects for this offseason in Freddy Peralta, the Mets have some obvious names that are likely to be on the block.

The league has just been put on notice that the phone lines are open for the New York Mets to make trades as a seller. And everyone except Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, Carson Benge, Nolan McLean, and A.J. Ewing is on the table. They might not trade anything beyond the rentals, but they will be listening.

Barring a remarkable turnaround over the next few weeks, one that would require a long winning streak, the New York Mets are going to be sellers this year.

With an executive who is under as much scrutiny as David Stearns, and an owner with as deep pockets as Steve Cohen, the Mets could be a true wild card at this year’s deadline.