The Chicago Cubs brought David Peterson in to patch up a depleted rotation. So far, that plan has backfired in spectacular fashion.
Friday night against the St. Louis Cardinals, Peterson got shelled for 10 earned runs over just 3.2 innings. Nine hits, three walks, three strikeouts. The Cardinals hung a 16-spot on the scoreboard by the sixth inning, and the Cubs never had a chance.
That’s the most earned runs Peterson has allowed in any start across his seven-year career. According to Talkin’ Baseball, his line Friday was the worst he’s ever put together as a professional.
The left-hander joined Chicago on June 25 in a trade with the New York Mets, who sent him packing for first base prospect Cole Mathis. The Cubs needed arms. Five starting pitchers were on the injured list. Peterson looked like a decent stopgap.
He hasn’t looked like much of anything since.
Coming into Friday’s game, Peterson already carried a 5.86 ERA and a 1.588 WHIP — both career worsts. He had 65 strikeouts but the damage was piling up. A change of scenery was supposed to reset things. Instead, the struggles that followed him from New York have settled in Chicago.
A sharp fall from 2025’s highs
This version of Peterson is almost unrecognizable compared to the one who earned his first All-Star nod in 2025. He was genuinely solid last season and carried that into 2024 as well. But something has gone wrong this year, and nobody in the organization seems to have figured out what.
The velocity is still there. The breaking stuff still looks sharp in the bullpen. But once the game starts, hitters are teeing off. The Cardinals certainly did. Peterson gave up hard contact all night, couldn’t command the zone, and never looked like he had a plan to stop the bleeding.
It’s worth wondering how much longer the Cubs stick with him in the rotation. They’re not exactly flush with options, but a 10-run start is the kind of thing that forces a conversation. The front office may need to decide whether to option him, move him to the bullpen, or just eat the contract and try someone else.
Peterson is 30 years old. He’s not a prospect anymore. He’s a veteran who needs to produce, and right now he’s putting up the worst numbers of his career at the worst possible time for a team trying to stay afloat in the NL Central race.
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