The New York Mets acquired Freddy Peralta to be the ace for a potential World Series contender.
Yet, Peralta could now serve as the start to their reload if GM David Stearns can execute the trade deadline properly.
Stearns and the Mets are being urged by ESPN’s David Schoenfeld to trade Peralta before the MLB trade deadline Aug. 3 to start their retooling.
The Mets acquired Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. Peralta (5-7, 4.81 ERA) has struggled immensely with the Mets and isn’t enhancing his value by pitching to an 8.49 ERA over his past five starts.
New York (36-51) is in last place in the National League East, is 10 games out of the final NL playoff spot and has the second-worst record in the NL, ahead of only the Colorado Rockies (34-53).
Mets Urged to Trade Freddy Peralta
GettyFreddy Peralta is unlikely to be with the Mets beyond Aug. 3.
The onus is on Stearns to act, particularly after the Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on June 26. Aside from merely needing to save his own job, Stearns will need to help the Mets retool, and dealing Peralta to a pitching-deprived contender should be the first step.
“He still projects as one of the top available starting pitchers,” Schoenfeld wrote on ESPN.com on Thursday. “His true talent level is probably somewhere between the career-low 2.70 ERA he posted with the Brewers in 2025 and what he’s doing this season, so he’s more of a No. 3 starter in a playoff rotation.”
Schoenfeld declared this a slam-dunk move for Stearns and Mets brass to make. But Schoenfeld also noted how teams may be lining up to acquire a rental pitcher who is in the midst of his worst big-league season.
“Teams looking to acquire him will have to scout him closely and decide if he’s a difference-maker for their rotation,” Schoenfeld wrote. “His strikeout rate is down a significant six percentage points from last year, and he’s giving up extra-base hits at a higher rate.”
The Mets May Find a Chicago-Based Trade Partner for Freddy Peralta
GettyThe Cubs and Mets have already consummated a trade this season when New York sent lefty David Peterson to the Windy City.
Peralta’s value is lower than Mets fans would want, but there are definitely teams that will line up to deal for the disappointing right-hander.
Schoenfeld noted the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs as potential landing spots.
Stearns and the Cubs GM Jed Hoyer have already consummated a pitching trade, with the Mets’ deal of David Peterson for minor-league infielder Cole Mathis on June 25 starting their tear down.
“Peterson is hardly a solution, though,” Schoenfeld wrote. “The Cubs have run hot and cold all season — they’ve had winning streaks of 10 and 11 games, a 10-game losing streak and now a 9-1 run — so another seasoned starter is key.”
Meanwhile, Schoenfeld noted the White Sox, who are surprisingly leading the AL Central at the season’s halfway point, could view Peralta as a frontline starter that could potentially put them over the top in the wide-open AL.
“The White Sox are last in innings pitched from their starters. They need another one,” Schoenfeld wrote. “They’re about to add the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft (on July 10) to the farm system, so that might embolden general manager Chris Getz to part ways with a couple of midlevel prospects to add a pitcher like Peralta.”
Mets Urged to Trade Slumping Pitcher Before Trade Deadline