David Peterson Trade Signals Bigger Changes Ahead for Mets as Deadline Looms

Finally, after weeks of stubbornness from President of Baseball Operations David Stearns, the Mets have potentially foreshadowed what could be coming in August.

Following a disastrous doubleheader against the Cubs on Wednesday, which saw the Mets add two more losses to their now five-game losing streak, Stearns decided it was time to trade David Peterson, sending him to the Cubs for their No. 13 prospect, Caleb Mathis, as first reported by The Athletic's Will Sammon.

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

Peterson was no longer performing consistently at a major-league level, losing his starting job earlier in the season while still struggling in bulk work. On Sunday against the Phillies, the Mets were in a desperate spot, facing injuries and pitching struggles, relying on Peterson to start. The seven-year veteran struggled, going just four innings while allowing four runs on six hits and walking two batters.

In 16 games this season, the 30-year-old holds a 3-6 record with a 6.09 ERA, striking out 63 batters while holding opponents to a .292 batting average. Prior to the deal, Peterson was the longest-tenured Met, with the title now transferring to Francisco Lindor, whom the Mets acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Guardians in 2021.

Mets' new prospect

In return, the Mets land a promising infielder who provides an intriguing offensive profile. Mathis is just 22 and most recently played at the High-A level for Chicago. Although Mathis currently sits on the seven-day injured list with a lingering right elbow injury, his 2026 start has been promising, batting .272 with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs, along with an elite .981 OPS in 39 games across Single-A and High-A.

Meet the new Mets prospect Cole Mathis:

2026 stats:
39 G
.272 BA
.396 OBP
.981 OPS
10 HR
39 RBIs

The 22-year-old is known for his offensive upside, while providing the Mets with a potential future first baseman. pic.twitter.com/zk7gtkpzh6
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) June 25, 2026

Scouting reports indicate that Mathis holds the potential to comfortably hit 20-plus home runs per season at the major league level, potentially giving the Mets a future first-base option, which currently serves as a question mark.

On Tuesday night, Stearns signaled he still wanted to give this roster a chance to compete, but also acknowledged that many players' performances have been unacceptable. The Peterson trade should just be the first domino to fall. If the Mets want a chance of competing in future seasons, selling at the Aug. 3 trade deadline is the right direction.

It's time for Mets to rebuild

It’s painfully obvious that whatever is happening on the current Mets roster isn’t working.

Stearns took several risks when constructing this roster, adding players with extensive injury histories while also experimenting with players who had never played certain positions before, such as Bo Bichette at third base. What it doesn’t explain is their second-worst team OPS of .674 and the fact that they’ve now surrendered 50 runs over the last five games.

Sammon reported that trading Peterson "does not indicate that the Mets are starting a sell-off." Instead, it’s the Mets being aware of his underperformance while freeing up a spot in their rotation, which was already thin to begin with. However, anyone could tell you that New York is quickly heading toward the deadline as one of the MLB's most likely sellers.

On Wednesday afternoon, MLB insider Jeff Passan took to Threads to answer fans' questions. When asked about how the Mets should approach the trade deadline, Passan stated that Clay Holmes could be a consistent target if he heals quickly from his fractured fibula. Another name mentioned was Luis Robert Jr., who has been out since April 26 with a back injury and still has no timetable for a return. Then, Passan stated that the Mets' deadline revolves around Freddy Peralta, A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley.

Jeff Passan with an update on what the Mets could do at the Trade Deadline.

Via Threads. pic.twitter.com/g4lsDB2eOt
— Mets Batflip (@metsbatflip1) June 24, 2026

All three players currently hold expiring contracts, making them free agents following the 2026 season. Why hang on to players when clearly a playoff push won’t be taking place? Peralta will be an attractive option for teams, while Minter and Raley will be premier left-handed relievers on the bullpen market.

However, the Mets shouldn’t stop there.

Everyone on their roster besides Juan Soto, Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean, Francisco Lindor and Francisco Alvarez should be made available. One player who holds a ton of value to opposing teams will be Luke Weaver, who has been one of the most dominant relievers in the league since May, going 19 consecutive outings without allowing a run. Weaver holds a team-friendly second year of control, which many contenders would likely pounce on because of its attractiveness.

The harsh reality is that the Mets don’t have the game-changing prospects as advertised. McLean, Benge and Ewing have proven to be building blocks of the future, but nobody else has truly stood out as someone who’d make a lasting impact in the majors. Jonah Tong has struggled in his three opportunities, Jack Wenninger can’t seem to shake his control issues, and many other prospects consistently miss time, completely destroying their development process.

For the Mets to be good in the future, they need to go through a hard reset, something the team has yet to really see.

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