But yeah, I think it was just getting some of the off-field stuff at home with my family taken care of and situated before we left," said Peterson.
The veteran pitcher expressed readiness for the transition to his new environment.
"New team, new uniform," said Peterson.
He acknowledged having some standard anxiety before taking the mound for Chicago.
"I'll have a little bit (of nerves).
But at the same time I've pitched plenty in this ballpark and I'm ready to get going," said Peterson.
Peterson also shared his enthusiasm for playing in front of Chicago's highly-rated defenders.
"You look at the guys around the infield and the defense as a whole, it's hard not to be excited about that group.
You see them statistically at the top of every list.
So I'm excited to have those guys behind me on the field and to play with them," said Peterson.
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Reflecting on his recent performance slumps with the Mets, Peterson remained confident.
"I went through some things early in the year that we needed to clean up and felt a lot better about where we're at now," said Peterson.
He expressed optimism that his performance would mirror his past successful seasons.
"(I) feel like myself back in '24, '25. I'm excited for the opportunity to start (Saturday) and get the routine back to some consistency.
I feel good with where I'm at," said Peterson.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Peterson's long-standing consistency prior to the trade.
