The Cubs are heading into an offseason where pitching sits at the center of everything, and David Peterson has quietly become one of the more interesting names on their board.
Chicago is expected to be active, but not at the very top of the market. The club won’t chase a pitcher like Tarik Skubal, yet there are still plenty of arms worth serious attention.
Michael King and Freddy Peralta are among the names that could be in play, and the Cubs also have the flexibility to look at their own free agents with more than a little interest. With so many players reaching free agency and more than $100 million coming off the books, they can be selective about where they spend.
That’s where Peterson comes in. Robert Murray, an MLB Insider for the FanSided Network, said there should be plenty of teams involved in the chase for the ground-ball pitcher. Peterson isn’t viewed as one of the marquee free agents, but that hasn’t stopped him from drawing attention.
The Cubs picked him up last summer from the Mets in a deal for prospect Cole Mathis, and the move came at a time when Chicago badly needed pitching help. Injuries had piled up, and the team needed another arm to stabilize the staff while it stayed in the division race.
Peterson’s numbers before the trade told one story: a 3-6 record, a 6.09 ERA and 63 strikeouts with New York. After landing in Chicago, the change was dramatic.
In 16 games with the Cubs, he went 6-2, posted a 3.70 ERA and struck out 74 batters. It was a sharp turnaround and the kind of performance that makes him look like more than just a temporary fix.
Now the question is how hard the Cubs are willing to push to keep him. Peterson profiles as a fifth starter or as a long reliever who can stretch out innings, much like Mike Montgomery and Travis Wood did for Chicago back in 2016.
If the price climbs, the Cubs may still decide Peterson is worth it. He fit in front of an elite interior defense that is set to stay in place next season, and Chicago already saw how quickly a pitching staff can unravel. A pitcher who offers both versatility and reliability could end up being exactly the kind of piece that matters most when the postseason chase heats up.
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