Mets’ Carlos Mendoza Reflects on David Peterson Trade and Struggles

In a surprising move shortly after being swept in a doubleheader by the Chicago Cubs, the Mets traded left-hander David Peterson to the Cubs for a minor league prospect. Manager Carlos Mendoza expressed his sadness over the departure of Peterson, who had spent seven seasons with New York.

“It’s a tough one because obviously you understand this is a business, but you, especially from my end, I had a really good relationship with Petey,” Mendoza stated. He reminisced about how Peterson would come to the office for coffee and share life’s ups and downs. Their bond formed during Mendoza’s first year as manager in 2024, when Peterson was recovering from hip surgery that sidelined him at the start of the season.

Upon his return, Peterson emerged as one of the Mets’ top pitchers, playing a critical role in their unexpected playoff run that culminated in an NLCS appearance. In 21 starts that season, he boasted an impressive 10-3 record with a 2.90 ERA, adding a 2.92 ERA and a save in five playoff games.

The following season saw Peterson maintain his stellar performance, earning his first All-Star selection. However, his fortunes took a turn for the worse in the second half, contributing to New York’s disappointing failure to make the playoffs. Eager to reclaim his All-Star form, Peterson began the 2026 campaign by tossing 5.1 scoreless innings against the Pirates. Unfortunately, his performance swiftly deteriorated, leading to a demotion from the starting rotation.

Injuries within the pitching staff and improved results as a reliever provided Peterson another chance in the rotation. However, after a disappointing outing against the Phillies that inflated his starter ERA to 7.71, it became evident that his time with the Mets was coming to an end, especially after fellow struggling starter Kodai Senga was also moved to the bullpen.

“I’ve seen him have success, make the All-Star team,” Mendoza reflected. “I’ve seen him struggle a lot and how he handles it, but it got to a point where we needed the flexibility on the roster.” He explained that the decision to trade Peterson was influenced by the need for roster balance.

Mendoza praised Peterson’s professionalism, noting his readiness to fulfill any role the team required, whether as a starter, reliever, or in a piggyback situation. “He’s a professional and he’s always willing to do whatever the team needed,” Mendoza remarked.

When asked about the challenges in helping Peterson return to his All-Star form, Mendoza took responsibility, acknowledging the weight of such struggles on a manager. “It’s a question that we’re always asking ourselves when players are not performing at their best,” he admitted. “In Petey’s case, he was an All-Star last year and then kinda everything went the other way. It just didn’t work for some reason.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.