5 NY Mets players we could still see traded before Opening Day and where it could be

3) David Peterson

It has to be David Peterson the Mets trade, right? One year of control left, a reasonable salary under $10 million, and someone the Mets cannot confidently say will ever be capable of pitching through a full season as a starter. It’s not a mistake if the Mets wait to see how spring training unfolds with injuries. They’re so likely to put someone on the shelf that trading away from your starting pitcher surplus, especially now with Brandon Sproat gone, could have us waiting until late March to finally witness the rotation subtraction.

Peterson’s high ground ball tendency fits what the Mets regime likes, but with Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco at the corners, we have questions. They’ve certainly shored up the middle infield with Marcus Semien and Francisco Lindor already competing for a Gold Glove this year. It’s a minor thing and not necessarily one that’ll have the Mets putting Peterson on the block for.

Finding a match for Peterson is tough. It may take Framber Valdez signing to get it done. He has some of those same qualities just on a much smaller scale. Could he be someone's alternative to Valdez?

Because he is a rental, only true contenders should be circling him. The Padres, in a swap for Nick Pivetta, can still sort of work as long as the Mets plan to subtract another starting pitcher or go with a true six-man rotation. There must be another team out there.

Of course, there are the Baltimore Orioles who continue to be a good match for Valdez. What about the Houston Astros who had the fewest ground ball outs against left-handed hitters last year and are the ones who last Valdez? They have an overcrowded rotation and also some optional guys in there. The bullpen doesn’t have very many optional choices. Peterson for one of them plus a prospect/optional arm could work. Hey, we might even just take Bryan Abreu if it’s offered.