Instant Trade Grade: Cubs Reportedly Add Mets' David Peterson for Top 13 Prospect

David Peterson is switching dugouts.

The Chicago Cubs are acquiring the lefty in a trade with the New York Mets, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported late Wednesday night. The deal comes after the Cubs swept Wednesday's doubleheader against the Mets at Citi Field.

Trade news: The Chicago Cubs are acquiring left-hander David Peterson from the New York Mets, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 25, 2026

Peterson posted a 6.09 ERA over 68 innings pitched with the struggling Mets this season. He becomes the first of likely many players the Mets – who fell to 12 games below .500 – will deal before the trade deadline.

Chicago is sending its No. 13 prospect and 2024 second-rounder Cole Mathis to the Mets in return, per reports.

The Mets are acquiring minor leaguer Cole Mathis in the deal, league sources said. https://t.co/UVIHUkXPBz
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) June 25, 2026

Mathis, 22, is hitting a combined .272 with a .981 OPS with Single-A Myrtle Beach and High-A South Bend this season. He plays both third base and first base.

Mathis is a good prospect, but was not considered a premium one in the Cubs organization. With the emergence of Josiah Hartshorn this season and with Pedro Ramirez, who is younger than Mathis, already in MLB and off to an impressive start, the Cubs likely felt they could afford to deal someone who is behind those players in the pecking order.

Instant Trade Grade: B

Jun 15, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher David Peterson (23) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Let's face it: The Cubs are in desperate need of pitching. And, at this point, it hardly matters how they get it.

The Peterson deal comes after the Cubs placed both Edward Cabrera (hamstring) and Ben Brown (neck) on the 15-day IL on Wednesday. That means Chicago currently has six starting pitchers —Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Brown, Cabrera, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd — either done for the season or out for at least weeks.

That doesn't even cover the injuries to the bullpen. Including relievers, the Cubs have 11 pitchers currently on the IL.

Boyd is due to return Thursday, but it's just a small positive in what has become a major, major issue for the Cubs this season.

So, Peterson provides an instant safety net. His struggles as of late moved him out of New York's rotation and into the bullpen, but he entered MLB as a starter and has seen success there. He has a career 4.23 ERA over 123 starts and 633.1 innings pitched, all of which have come with the Mets.

In 2024, he went 10-3 with a 2.90 ERA over 121 innings.

Peterson's underlying numbers also tell a far different story this season. His FIP of 3.85 is over two points lower than his actual ERA of 6.09. His ground-ball rate (52.9%) is in the top 11% of the league.

Cubs fans saw firsthand the kind of defense Mets pitchers have had to deal with this season. New York made six errors in Game 2 of the doubleheader, and as a unit, they teeter near the bottom third of the league in both outs above average (-8) and fielding run value (-5).

The Cubs' defense leads MLB in both OAA (37) and FRV (32). Peterson is a ground-ball pitcher who will now go to work in front of the best defense in MLB.

Most of all, the Cubs need a guy that can eat innings, and Peterson can provide that — especially with this change of scenery!

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