Before the Chicago Cubs added Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes at the trade deadline, their move to acquire a favorite starter from the New York Mets proved to be a crucial turning point in the season. After a difficult start to the year with New York, he found his footing in Chicago and provided much-needed stability to the rotation.
Over his last 35 innings with the Cubs, Peterson has posted a 2.06 ERA while generating a ground-ball rate above 53%. Once the additions of Gausman and Holmes created a need to rearrange the rotation, it became increasingly clear that Peterson had earned the right to remain in the starting five.
That made Craig Counsell’s decision last weekend to initially move Peterson to the bullpen following Edward Cabrera’s return from injury especially disappointing. While someone inevitably had to lose a rotation spot, Peterson’s recent production suggested he was the wrong pitcher to remove.
Cubs’ Mariners Probables Confirm David Peterson Is Back in the Rotation
The bigger question now is whether Peterson will ultimately be part of Chicago’s postseason rotation. For the regular season, however, the Cubs appear to have made their decision.
Chicago has announced that Peterson will take the mound Saturday night against the Seattle Mariners, signaling that he is back where his recent performance suggests he belongs — in the starting rotation.
Matthew Boyd is scheduled to start for the Cubs tonight, while Shota Imanaga is expected to handle the series finale on Sunday. That setup provides further indication that, barring a demotion to Triple-A Iowa, Javier Assad will remain in a bulk-relief role for Chicago.
As for Edward Cabrera, his latest blister issue could result in him returning to the bullpen once he comes off the injured list.
Looking beyond 2026, however, the Cubs will still need Cabrera to establish himself as a dependable starter. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly apparent that Chicago may not get that impact from him this season. Aside from Imanaga, Cabrera has emerged as one of the biggest uncertainties surrounding the Cubs’ starting rotation moving forward.
Peterson, on the other hand, has provided no such concerns. In six of his eight appearances since joining Chicago, he has surrendered two runs or fewer. That level of consistency gives the Cubs something they can rely on as they finalize their pitching plans for the remainder of the regular season and potentially the postseason.
