Getty Wandy Peralta
The rivalry between the New York Yankees and New York Mets seems to have gotten off to an early start this season with both teams pursuing relief pitcher Wandy Peralta.
On January 22, The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty reported the Yankees “continue talking to the left-hander, but they haven’t been able to find common ground.” Just three days later, NY Post’s Jon Heyman posted the Mets were also “targeting” Peralta to bolster their bullpen.
Mets are pursuing lefty relievers, and one they have been targeting is Wandy Peralta, who had a sub 3 ERA all three years with the Yankees
Having previously pitched for the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants, Peralta was traded to the Yankees on April 27, 2021. He signed one-year deals with New York for the next two seasons under club control, becoming a free agent for the first time in his career at the end of 2023.
Through three seasons with the Yankees, Peralta posted a 2.82 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 153 innings. The 32-year-old has been remarkably consistent on the mound, and despite dealing with a left triceps issue late last year, he’s appeared in at least 56 games in each of the last three seasons. While he allowed the second-highest walk count of his career in 2023, Peralta finished the season having left 82.5% of runners on base, according to Baseball Savant.
Peralta’s Projected Contract Value
This is Peralta’s first time as a free agent, having been under club control until the end of 2023. Last season, he settled his final arbitration year with the Yankees at $3.35 million, and the year prior, he signed a deal for $2.15 million.
Going into 2024, Spotrac projects Peralta’s market value to be around $7.2 million per season.
Yankees vs. Mets
The Mets obviously need to add bullpen arms before 2024, but the Yankees’ decision to prioritize reuniting with Peralta is less clear.
Last season, the Mets’ bullpen recorded an underwhelming 4.45 ERA to rank 22nd in MLB, and they’re yet to make any game-changing improvements this offseason. After he originally declined the option on his contract, New York re-signed Adam Ottavino to a one-year, $4.5 million deal on January 27, but even though he recorded the most strikeouts of any Mets reliever in 2023, his return still only puts the team in the same position they were in last year.
On the other hand, the 2023 Yankees’ bullpen posted the best ERA in MLB at 3.34, and other than Peralta entering free agency, very little has changed. With Tommy Kahnle, Clay Holmes, and Jonathan Loasigia as high-leverage relievers, and Scott Effross, Ian Hamilton, and Victor Gonzalez handling the middle innings, the Yankees’ bullpen is still extremely strong going into next season. A trade with the San Diego Padres earlier in the winter saw them give up Michael King, but even so, there’s no obvious need for the Yankees to add a relief pitcher before 2024, even if it is a familiar face.
Still, the Yankees have proven they know how to build an extremely impressive bullpen, and they’re unlikely to let their crosstown rivals get Peralta without a fight. The Mets are also likely to be aggressive in their pursuit, and if they can pull off a deal with the lefty, he will be an invaluable addition to their roster.
At this point, it’s almost certain Peralta will be staying in New York. It’s now just a question of which side of the Subway Series he lands on.