The New York Mets entered 2026 expecting Freddy Peralta to anchor a playoff rotation. Instead, they may be preparing to trade him. ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently identified Peralta as the club’s top trade candidate if New York becomes a seller at the deadline.
The Mets swung a deal for Peralta in the offseason to add a proven frontline starter to the top of their rotation. New York sent prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Milwaukee Brewers. The idea was that strengthening the rotation would prevent a 2025-like collapse. Instead, the club has floundered all year and looks more like a seller at the upcoming trade deadline.
Mets Trending Towards Selling Amid Lost Season
The club is waiting for key players to return from injury before making the final call on whether to sell. The Mets expect Francisco Lindor (calf), Francisco Alvarez (knee), Jorge Polanco (ankle), and Kodai Senga (back) to return soon. The thought process is to see where they stand when close to full strength, then decide on the deadline direction.
But considering there are nine teams ahead of them in the National League Wild Card race, it’s going to be a Herculean task to close that gap. Should the Mets decide to sell, then their top priority should focus on getting a strong return for Peralta. Ideally, that return can improve their chances of contending in 2027.
Injuries have forced the Mets to rely on younger players in the outfield and rotation. Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Zach Thornton, and Nick Morabito are among the prospects to debut this season. With their rotation collapsing due to the Clay Holmes and Senga injuries, it’s hard to envision they’ll make a run.
MLB Executives Predict Potential Freddy Peralta Return
Freddy Peralta is currently the Mets’ best trade chip. The right-hander is making just $8 million for the 2026 season, making him obtainable for any contender.
The return on a Peralta trade is more likely to produce value for the Mets than holding onto him and extending the qualifying offer. As a Competitive Balance Tax payer, New York would only receive a fourth-round pick if the right-hander leaves in free agency. If the goal is to set themselves up to contend in 2027 and beyond, this is a no-brainer decision for David Stearns.
FanSided’s Robert Murray spoke to a couple of executives about what the potential return could look like.
The first said that Peralta could fetch a backend Top 100 prospect, plus a throw-in, or two Top 10 org prospects. That executive compared that trade situation to Marcus Stroman (2019), Luis Castillo (2022), and Jordan Montgomery (2023).
The other executive said a package headlined by one Top 50 prospect or two Top 100 prospects. The executive identified the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers as potential suitors.
The Rays have three Top 100 prospects on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list: Theo Gillen (42), Brody Hopkins (83), and Nathan Flewelling (88). The executive ruled out Gillen, but could see a package involving Hopkins, Flewelling, Caden Bodine, or Taitn Gray.
The Brewers are Stearns’ previous organization, before the Mets tasked him with running their baseball operations. His familiarity with their practices and farm system makes them an interesting candidate.
Why the Mets Should Trade Freddy Peralta at the Deadline
FanGraphs currently gives the Mets a rather generous 17.0% chance of clinching a Wild Card as of June 5. They have the hardest remaining strength of schedule (.508) of all the National League teams in that race.
As the Mets continue to fall further from the race, the focus will shift toward their status at the deadline. Freddy Peralta will be the name everyone focuses on should New York wave the white flag for 2026. The key will be to maximize a return in not only impact, but close enough to the majors to be a factor in 2027.
For David Stearns, the focus is on setting up the Mets to compete in 2027. While he’s on the hot seat for the failures of the last two seasons, he has to operate as if he’ll still have his job for the offseason. Their deadline plans will say a lot about the future direction of the franchise and their chances in 2027.
Mets Face Major Freddy Peralta Decision at Trade Deadline Amid Lost Season