Desperate to add rotation arms, the Chicago Cubs made a deal for left-hander David Peterson. While Peterson’s season hasn’t gone well, the trade to the Cubs offers the left-hander a clean slate.
His Cubs debut went as well as he could have hoped. Peterson completed 5.2 innings, his longest start of the season. He held the Milwaukee Brewers to just two runs, eventually picking up the win as Chicago’s offense buried Milwaukee late, 8-2.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Peterson on Marquee Sports Network television broadcast. “The guys have welcomed me in with open arms. It’s just fun to get out there, start, and play with a good defense behind me. I felt like Carson (Kelly) and I had a good plan going in, and he was really solid back there.”
David Peterson Steps Up in Cubs Debut
Peterson’s start couldn’t have started more inauspiciously. Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio crushed his first pitch as a Cub for a home run.
However, Peterson did not let that pitch define his start. He held the first-place Brewers to just one run for the rest of his start, scattering four hits while striking out two.
“I think it shows professionalism and some grit to come in and did what he did today,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell. “He pumped in a lot of strikes, they were aggressive, but he threw a ton of strikes. I think most importantly, (he) didn’t back down after a bad first result. He gave us exactly what we could have hoped for tonight.”
The win got the Cubs a game closer to the Brewers. However, they face a 6.5-game deficit in the standings.
However, the Cubs are still in prime contention for the postseason. After the win, they have a 45-38 record. They have the National League’s second Wild Card spot, although the race remains tight.
David Peterson’s Opportunity With the Cubs
David Peterson’s opportunity with the Cubs is a combination of Chicago running out of rotation depth and the left-hander’s struggles. He entered that start with a 6.09 ERA on the season. However, Peterson also has a 3.85 FIP and 4.05 xFIP, something the Cubs would gladly accept moving forward.
Bruce Levine of 104.3 The Score, the Cubs’ flagship radio station, reported before the game that this trade was weeks in the making. It took six weeks of conversations between the Cubs and the New York Mets before pulling the trigger on a trade.
Chicago’s rotation has dealt with various injuries. They’re without Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, Ben Brown, Justin Steele, and Cade Horton. Horton and Steele will not return to the rotation. Brown, Taillon, and Cabrera are likely out past the All-Star break.
While Chicago was desperate enough to grab Peterson when they did, the left-hander has an opportunity to stick. He’s shown the ability to pitch well over time, as evidenced by his All-Star Game selection in 2025.
The rotation will be president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins’ top priority to address. However, the type of impact they need won’t be available until they’re closer to the August 3 trade deadline.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Cubs’ Trade Gamble Pays Off as David Peterson Excels in ‘Fun’ Debut appeared first on HEAVY.