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The New York Mets traded David Peterson, but rival executives believe that's just the beginning of the sell off from Queens.

The Trade Deadline isn’t until August 3rd, but the New York Mets weren’t waiting until then to begin their sale. They sent starting pitcher David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday for Cole Mathis, a first baseman in the Cubs’ farm system.

That’s just the first domino to fall, too. ESPN insider Jeff Passan shared in the wake of the trade that “rival executives expect plenty more.”

This comes in what has been a disaster of a season for the Mets. New York is 34-46 on the season. That’s last in the NL East and 14.5 games out of first place. It also amounts to the third-worst record in all of the National League. So, with something clearly going wrong, it may be time to sell off the key pieces that are movable.

Passan added, “Just how much of a sell-off the Mets engage in will be one of the big stories leading up to the Aug. 3 deadline.”

Several New York Mets Have Been Connected to Trade Talks

If the New York Mets are just getting started making trades with David Peterson, then there are some interesting options to turn to next.

Among those is another starting pitcher, Freddy Peralta. A two-time All-Star in the final year of his deal, Peralta is having a down season, and the Mets probably wouldn’t be getting the value back that they traded for him. Still, his pedigree and the fact that he’s only a rental make him an interesting trade candidate.

Another name commonly mentioned in trades has been Bo Bichette. This offseason, he signed with the Mets on a three-year deal, which includes an opt-out going into 2027. Given how this season’s gone, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him utilize that opt-out regardless of whether he’s traded or not. So, the idea would be to get something back for him, hopefully some pitching prospects to address the farm system.

The Mets also have some bullpen arms, including Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter, who are pitching well. That’s the type of player who is always popular at the Trade Deadline, and could fetch good value coming back to Queens.

The Mets Have Major Issues in Their Starting Rotation

The Mets decided that they weren’t able to pitch David Peterson any longer, after he had lost his spot in the starting rotation. Given the state of the Mets’ rotation, it was an impressive feat, but his 6.09 ERA was hard to ignore. Still, the Mets have issues well beyond him.

New York needs to find a solution to its pitching woes. Otherwise, there’s no chance of digging themselves out of the hole they find themselves in.

It starts with the often-injured Kodai Senga. After missing a chunk of the season with an injury, Senga is back with a 10.08 ERA. In fact, he’s given up 11 runs in the two starts he’s had since getting healthy.

Beyond that, Freddy Peralta has been a major disappointment. A 4.83 ERA may look good in comparison, but it’s over a run higher than his career average. That’s not the player the Mets were trading for this past offseason. Then, Nolan McLean has flashed potential, but also has an ERA of 4.03.

Other starters, like Clay Holmes and Christian Scott, find themselves injured for the Mets. So, there are more than a couple of gaps there to sort out.