Mets' Fire Sale Begins, Peterson Headed to Chicago In One-For-One Swap

The Mets’ “fire sale” theme is taking shape as New York’s season spirals, with the franchise sitting at the third-worst record in the National League and 12 games under .500, last in the NL East. Hitting has been inconsistent and fielding costly: Bo Bichette is batting .254 with a .298 on-base percentage, Marcus Semien is at .220, and Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos are both hitting .214; the group committed six errors on Wednesday, fueling five unearned runs in a loss to the Chicago Cubs. Pitching has also worsened, with Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean both sporting ERAs over 4.00. On the trade front, the Mets sent left-hander David Peterson to Chicago in a one-for-one deal for Cubs prospect Cole Mathis, receiving him for Peterson. Peterson has a 6.09 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, and a .290 opponent average over 68 innings. The move addresses Chicago’s injury-depleted rotation as it battles a playoff push.