David Peterson’s arrival to the Chicago Cubs in a rare June trade comes with expectations. Known for his impressive ground-ball rate, Peterson’s style aligns well with the Cubs’ needs. The team has struggled with allowing home runs, making Peterson’s 51.1% ground-ball percentage, ranked eighth in MLB, a valuable asset.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer highlighted the importance of Peterson’s ability to keep the ball on the ground. “He throws strikes, keeps the ball on the ground, which is something we haven’t done particularly well,” he stated. With a solid defense, Hoyer sees potential for Peterson to excel.
Peterson’s Cubs debut against the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t start as planned; his first pitch was hit over the center-field wall by Jackson Chourio. “Obviously not how I wanted to start, but give me another ball and see how it goes,” Peterson remarked afterward. Despite the initial setback, Peterson managed to settle down, allowing only two runs over 5 2/3 innings, contributing to the Cubs’ 8-2 win.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Peterson’s professionalism. “They were aggressive, but he threw a ton of strikes and didn’t back down after a bad first result,” Counsell said. Peterson finished with five hits allowed, striking out two without walking a batter, on 69 pitches.
The Cubs’ defense played a crucial role in support of Peterson. After an RBI single tied the game, Nico Hoerner initiated a smooth double play that demonstrated the team’s defensive capabilities. Peterson appreciated the defense, “You look around the infield, you look at guys in the outfield, I don’t think there’s a hole out there in the defense.”
Despite a whirlwind couple of days post-trade, Peterson adapted quickly. He credited catcher Carson Kelly for efficient game-calling amidst limited practice time. “You want him to have confidence in his pitch choices,” Counsell emphasized pregame, highlighting the importance of conviction in pitch selection and competitive spirit.
The Cubs offense also delivered, with Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ contributing crucial home runs. Suzuki’s two-run homer in the fourth inning restored the lead, while Happ’s three-run homer in the sixth extended it further. The Cubs snapped a four-game losing streak against the Brewers and look forward to continuing their momentum.
In the face of recent pitching challenges, including several injuries, the Cubs have achieved five wins in their last six games during this trip. “The offense has done a great job over the last week just putting up a ton of runs,” Happ noted.