NEW YORK (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have bolstered their injury-depleted pitching rotation by acquiring left-handed starter David Peterson from the New York Mets, according to a source with direct knowledge of the transaction.
The source spoke with The Associated Press on Thursday under the condition of anonymity, as the deal had not yet been formally announced at the time.
The Cubs have been hammered by rotation injuries in recent days. On Wednesday, the team placed both Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera on the 15-day injured list. Brown is dealing with a neck strain, while Cabrera is out due to a left hamstring strain.
Those two join Jameson Taillon, Cade Horton, and Justin Steele, who are also currently on the injured list. Matthew Boyd is expected to return from the IL and take Brown’s place in the starting rotation for Thursday’s series finale against the Mets.
In exchange for Peterson, New York received minor league infielder Cole Mathis, a power-hitting prospect. The 22-year-old Mathis was selected in the second round of the 2024 amateur draft and has posted strong numbers this season, hitting .272 with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs across 39 games at two different levels.
Peterson, 30, has struggled this season, going 3-6 with a 6.09 ERA over eight starts and eight relief outings. He is set to become a free agent when the season concludes.
