The 2026 campaign is still young, but the New York Mets remain one of the most disappointing teams in the majors. With a 15-23 record, the Mets are sitting at the bottom of the National League East division, and they are running out of time to get their act together, as they are already 10.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the division.
With the Mets continuing to struggle, some folks have wondered if the team could ultimately decide to blow things up at the trade deadline. If they do, it’s seeming increasingly likely that starting pitcher Freddy Peralta would be on the move, even though the team just acquired him in a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers over the offseason. In fact, a potential suitor, the Chicago Cubs, may already be looking to make a move for Peralta.
Mets Linked to Freddy Peralta Trade with Cubs, But There’s a Catch
New York swung a blockbuster trade for Peralta over the offseason, and while he has done his job through his first eight starts with the team (2-3, 3.12 ERA, 43 K, 1.20 WHIP), the Mets cannot find a way to consistently win games. And while the team’s decision to acquire Peralta just a couple of months ago may seemingly take him off the trade block, that’s actually not the case.
Peralta is in the final year of his contract, and previous attempts to reach terms on an extension have gone nowhere. If New York can’t find a way to get into the win column consistently at any point this season, it may have to consider trading Peralta before he potentially leaves for nothing in free agency.
With each passing loss, the trade buzz surrounding Peralta continues to grow louder. One team that has been linked to him frequently is the Cubs, as their manager, Craig Counsell, spent time with Peralta in Milwaukee. Chicago is reportedly interested in Peralta, and yet, it hasn’t officially had any direct trade talks revolving around the two-time All-Star.
“A Cubs source told me they have talked to many teams about pitching, but have not talked directly about Freddy Peralta with the Mets,” MLB insider Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM reported in a post on X.
Should the Mets Trade Freddy Peralta?
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 24: Freddy Peralta #51 of the New York Mets reacts in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on April 24, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Trading Peralta so soon after picking him up would be quite the gut punch, but everything about the 2026 season has gone awry for the Mets so far. Losing Peralta in free agency over the upcoming season would be a truly catastrophic outcome, so New York could avoid making a bad situation worse by dealing him and picking up some prospects in the process.
In a perfect world, the Mets wouldn’t have to trade Peralta, but each loss makes it more and more likely that his stay in New York will be a short one. With the front office reportedly setting a June 1 deadline for the team to get its act together, Peralta could conceivably make only a few more starts with the Mets before he gets traded for the second time this year.
MLB Insider Shares Freddy Peralta Trade Update Amid Mets Slow Start