Particularly appealing to the Chicago Cubs, David Peterson joined through a rare June trade, bringing a strong ground-ball track record. With the highest home run allowance in the majors, the Cubs valued Peterson’s 51.1% ground-ball rate, ranking eighth in MLB. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer noted, “He throws strikes and keeps the ball on the ground, which addresses our needs. With our defense, there is potential; we field ground balls well.”
The Cubs faced some initial challenges. In Peterson’s debut against the Milwaukee Brewers, his first pitch resulted in a home run over the center-field wall. Despite the setback, Peterson said, “Give me another ball and see how it goes.” The homer was delivered by Jackson Chourio, who hit Peterson’s 92.7 mph sinker.
Peterson settled, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings, contributing to the Cubs’ 8-2 win. “David showed professionalism and grit, bouncing back after the first pitch,” manager Craig Counsell commented. His performance featured five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts over 69 pitches, earning him commendation from Counsell and cheers from the Cubs fans at American Family Field.
Peterson expressed his appreciation, sharing, “The team welcomed me, and it was enjoyable to start with a good defense. I stuck to my approach, filled the zone, aimed for ground contact, and credit to our offense for applying pressure and delivering big numbers.”
The Cubs defense was instrumental. After Sal Frelick tied the game with an RBI single, Nico Hoerner initiated a double play from Cooper Pratt’s grounder. This swift action highlighted a key difference from Peterson’s time with the New York Mets, where he experienced only three ground-ball double plays over 68 innings. “It’s remarkable,” Peterson noted about the Cubs’ defense. “Confidence as a ground-ball pitcher is bolstered by such reliable fielders.”
Peterson’s debut followed a hectic period post-trade. He credits catcher Carson Kelly’s effective game management. Without a bullpen session for mechanical insights, Kelly focused on understanding Peterson’s go-to pitches. “Pitch selection confidence is crucial,” Counsell noted, emphasizing, “compete and enjoy.”
Support from the offense came in the fourth inning when Seiya Suzuki countered Chourio’s homer with a two-run shot against lefty Kyle Harrison. This forced Milwaukee to rely on its bullpen, but the Cubs capitalized during a four-run sixth inning. Alex Bregman and Michael Busch secured walks, then Nico Hoerner added an RBI single. Ian Happ concluded by driving a three-run homer off right-hander Chad Patrick’s first pitch.
After ending a four-game losing streak to the Brewers, the Cubs prepared for Sunday’s series finale with a bullpen-driven game, starting Ryan Rolison. Despite recent pitching injuries, the Cubs triumphed in five of six games. “Everyone wants to contribute and help,” Happ stated. “The offense put up substantial runs, and our bullpen and rotation have been reliable, which is key.”