David Peterson trade reopens painful Cubs memory for Mets fans

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The New York Mets sent left-hander David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 22-year-old minor league infielder Cole Mathis. The deal in all senses seems logical, but there's a brutal trade history between the two that fans should know.

Peterson was not doing well, posting an ERA above 6.00 and losing his spot in the rotation. Moreover, he was turning into a free agent this winter, so the Mets needed value out of him before risking him in uncharted free agent territory. Even for the Cubs, they had a clear need in rotation and identifying Peterson's 3.58 FIP gave them a reason to trade for him, given their elite defense.

However, the Mets fans should know about how the franchise lost Pete Crow-Armstrong to the Cubs five years ago, a decision they regret to this day.

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The Mets-Cubs transaction that has loss written all over it

Every time the Mets engage in a trade with the Cubs, they are reminded of the painful memory involving Pete Crow-Armstrong.

In 2021, the New York-based franchise sent PCA to the Cubs in exchange for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams. At the time, the Mets failed to identify the long-term upside in PCA, who missed most of his first season with a shoulder injury, and rather took a bet on an impactful addition in Baez.

As it turns out, Baez failed to help the Mets, while in the meantime, four years later, PCA has become one of the most valuable young players in all of baseball.

That in itself doesn't mean that the same thing could happen to the Mets in David Peterson's case.

The circumstances are different. Peterson is 30, approaching free agency. Losing him for nothing this offseason would be worse. In my opinion, the Mets scored a victory here by getting a 2024 second-round pick in return.

Who knows? Maybe in four years, Mathis will make the Cubs regret the same way PCA does now to the Mets.