Mets officially in sell mode, LHP David Peterson traded to Cubs

The New York Mets officially punted on the season and entered sell mode when lefty David Peterson was traded to the Cubs late Wednesday night.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the Mets dealing Peterson, while Will Sammon at The Athletic added that the Mets would receive prospect Cole Mathis from Chicago.

Thus caps Peterson’s truly miserable 2026 in New York. Now 30, the big lefty was 3-6 with a 6.09 ERA in 16 games, eight of which were starts. Peterson struggles saw him demoted to being the bulk arm in bullpen games. Even with his ground ball rate (GB%) a respectable 51.4%, his xERA was an inflated 4.84. FIP and xFIP were 3.85 and 4.05, respectively.

But for a .350 BABIP, maybe Peterson could have fared better. Especially after posting arguably his best season yet in 2025, going 9-6 with a 4.22 ERA in a career-high 30 starts. Peterson had a 2.83 ERA through July before both fatigue and bad luck took over. He finished the season with a 7.74 ERA, but 3.74 FIP.

The Mets’ rotation should now be as follows, barring further deals: Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Zach Thornton, and Christian Scott. Struggling Kodai Senga is the new mop-up man.

New York received nothing but upside in Mathis, who now slots in as the Mets’ No. 14 prospect on MLB.com. The 22-year-old first baseman played at the College of Charleston before the Cubs made him a second-round pick in 2024. He has hit .272 with ten homers and 39 RBI at A-ball this year. He has a history of elbow trouble, including Tommy John surgery that saw him sit out 2024.

This was to be expected from team president David Stearns at some point between now and the August 3 deadline. The Mets, despite a few big wins over the last few weeks, are still last in the NL East and 14.5 games behind first-place Atlanta. New York is 34-46, has lost five straight, including getting outscored 20-8 across Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs. All of that adds up to a team starting a fire sale early.

This is only the beginning too, and might be the best deal the Mets get down the stretch. Peralta’s overall stats are down and he looks nothing like the ace Mets fans thought the team acquired in the offseason. A trade for pennies, peanuts, and spare parts with him headed to a new team is almost certain. The Mets simply do not have the trade chips to swing a deal for significant prospects.

The saddest part? None of this is surprising. Under Stearns, the Mets have paid for position players when starting pitching should have been a priority. Closer Devin Williams got a $51 million contract last winter, and he’s been just as streaky as he was with the crosstown rival Yankees. Former All-Star stopper Clay Holmes, another former Yankee, is an inconsistent starter despite his best efforts, but he’s out indefinitely with a broken leg.

Sorry, Mets fans. Right about now is when this starts turning into an absolutely “Mets” season among everything.