Cubs acquired veteran left‑hander David Peterson from the New York Mets Thursday, closing a deal in the middle of a series despite his 6.09 ERA. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said discussions began six weeks ago, but the trade accelerated when injuries sidelined Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown. The club needed a healthy arm to shore up a depleted rotation.

Edward Cabrera left Tuesday with a hamstring strain, and Ben Brown was diagnosed with a neck stress fracture, leaving five starters on the injured list. Matthew Boyd returned to start Thursday, while Colin Rea is slated for Friday’s opener against Milwaukee. Peterson, a free agent after the season, should join the team after Thursday’s game and could debut Saturday or Sunday.

The Mets moved Peterson to the bullpen after a rough start, citing the need for roster flexibility with Kodai Senga struggling in the pen. New York’s season has spiraled, sitting 14½ games back of the Braves and nine games behind Chicago for the wild‑card. Trading the 30‑year‑old gives the Mets a fresh arm and clears space as they try to halt a five‑game losing streak.