With three days left until the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline, the New York Mets are playing it safe with the availability of right-handed starter Freddy Peralta.
Ahead of his scheduled start against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Friday, the club has scratched him from the lineup, Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported.
The Mets named Kodai Senga as the replacement starter for Peralta, a free agent after this season who has been one of the top names on the trade block. Still, the move does not mean a trade is imminent, but it does leave room for something to happen within the next several days.
Teams pulling starting pitchers who are made available ahead of the deadline is common, as the Tigers scratched right-handed starter Casey Mize on Friday.
For the Mets, they are at a point where they cannot afford Peralta to lose trade value, or risk potential injury. He is 5-9 in 22 starts and lost four of his last six.
Across his last 10 outings, he has allowed 41 hits, 35 earned runs, nine home runs, and 20 walks. His 4.99 ERA and 1.48 WHIP rank second-lowest among eligible pitchers, a stark contrast from the numbers he posted during his previous seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.
When Mets’ President of Baseball Operations David Stearns traded two of the team’s top prospects, Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams, for Peralta in January, many fans thought they had an innings-eating ace that the 2025 Mets lacked as they collapsed and lost out on a playoff spot. But Peralta did not pitch anything like the top-tier starter Mets fans had expected him to be.
After his last outing, when he lasted just four innings and gave up two earned runs against the Dodgers, he admitted that “probably” was his last start with the Mets.
“I know it probably is,” Peralta said after the July 26 game. “I have to focus and keep giving the best of myself. If it happens, it happens. I’m thankful and grateful to be part of this organization. I know so far I’ve let them down.”
With Peralta on the trade block, he has received strong interest from the Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, as Will Sammon of The Athletic reported.
Those teams remain in the hunt for a playoff spot and are in the market for another reliable starter. Although Peralta’s season has been forgettable thus far, a fresh start could be what he needs to get back on track.
Additionally, his current five-year, $15.5 million contract extension, which he signed with the Brewers, is set to expire at the end of this season.
A trade to another club could be best for both sides, as the Mets will likely receive at least one prime prospect for Peralta.
