David Peterson’s First Pitch as a Cub Went Exactly the Wrong Way

The Chicago Cubs needed pitching help so badly they traded for a guy who hadn’t looked like himself in months. On Friday night, that guy stepped onto the mound for the first time in a Cubs uniform and gave up a home run on the very first pitch he threw.

David Peterson’s Chicago debut started with Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio launching the opening pitch over the wall. One swing, and the fresh start the Cubs were hoping for felt like more of the same. The 30-year-old lefty has been in a funk since last summer, and his struggles followed him right out of the Mets organization he just left.

A desperate Cubs rotation forces a risky trade

The Cubs sent Cole Mathis, their 2024 second-round pick, to New York for Peterson. That’s not a small price for a rental pitcher in the final year of his contract. But the Cubs’ rotation is practically held together with tape right now. Cade Horton is done for the season. Justin Steele is likely out for the year. Edward Cabrera and Jameson Taillon are both on the injured list. Jed Hoyer had to do something.

So the front office took a chance on a guy who had a 5.92 ERA at the time of the trade and hasn’t pitched like an All-Star since the 2025 midsummer classic. The numbers don’t lie. Peterson has been searching for answers and hasn’t found them yet.

He settled down but the numbers are still ugly

To be fair, Peterson didn’t completely unravel after that first-pitch homer. He settled in and gave the Cubs a chance to stay in the game. But one good outing doesn’t erase a 5.92 ERA, and the Cubs don’t have time to wait for him to figure it out. The team is 44-38, sitting in a competitive NL Central race, and every game matters if they want to play October baseball.

Peterson is playing for his next contract too. He’s in the final year of his deal, and a strong summer would set him up nicely. But the Cubs aren’t thinking about his free agency. They need him to pitch like the guy who made an All-Star team, not the one who’s been struggling since last summer.

One pitch into his Cubs tenure, Peterson reminded everyone of the risk Chicago just took. The question is whether he can make them look smart for it before the season slips away.