The Cubs standings push led Chicago to David Peterson on Thursday, a move made after Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown went on the injured list and left five starting pitchers sidelined. Peterson is expected to make his Cubs debut either Saturday or Sunday.
Jed Hoyer on Peterson urgency
Jed Hoyer said the Cubs had been discussing Peterson with the Mets for about six weeks before the injury pileup made the trade more pressing. He said, “We had been talking to them back and forth, and I think that happens a lot of times with deals that you know you're circling a player or a concept, there's not a lot of urgency to do it,” and then added, “You sort of talk, and all of a sudden we had more urgency to do it once Cabrera and Brown went down.”
The sequence matters because Chicago did not move in a vacuum. Matthew Boyd was activated from the injured list to start Thursday, then threw 4⅔ scoreless innings in his first start since April 27, and the Cubs finished a 4-3 win in 10 innings to complete a four-game sweep. That win bought them a little breathing room, but the rotation picture stayed thin enough that the front office acted the same day.
David Peterson fits Cubs defense
Peterson brings a mixed line. He had a 2.83 ERA through 21 starts in 2025, then posted a 6.98 ERA in 17 starts and eight relief appearances since then. Hoyer said, “He throws strikes, keeps the ball on the ground, which is something we haven't done particularly well,” and also said, “And just felt like with our defense, he felt like a pitcher that there was upside there.”
That fit is the part Chicago is betting on. The Cubs believe their defense can help because they lead the majors in Outs Above Average, while the Mets rank 20th and committed eight errors over their last two games. Peterson’s profile gives Chicago a starter who can work with that support instead of fighting against it.
Milwaukee trip and next start
Craig Counsell said Peterson is expected to join the team postgame Thursday for the flight to Milwaukee, and Colin Rea will start Friday's series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. Peterson should be available soon after that, with his Cubs debut set for either Saturday or Sunday.
There is a human layer to the move, too. Peterson was the Mets’ longest-tenured player, the Mets selected him in the first round of the 2017 draft, and he made his major league debut three years later. Counsell said, “Nobody tells you when you're going to be traded. They call you into the office or they call you on the phone and say you've been traded. That's the warning you get. That's shocking news for anybody. I think he's feeling the effects of that, and that takes a little while.”
Chicago still has work to do around him. Edward Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday with a hamstring strain, Brown was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his neck and will be shut down for weeks, and the Cubs are still carrying five starting pitchers on the sideline. Peterson does not solve everything, but he gives the Cubs a starter they can use while the standings race keeps tightening.
