Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Freddy Peralta was supposed to be the ace on a 2026 Mets team that was supposed to be a serious contender in the National League.
That never happened.
The veteran right-hander, who went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA last season with the Milwaukee Brewers, was ultimately a shell of himself during his short stay in Queens, going 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA.
David Stearns, the man who drafted him in Milwaukee and then sent two of the Mets’ top prospects to get him over the winter, pulled the plug on Sunday during New York’s series finale against the Miami Marlins by trading him to the Tampa Bay Rays for a trio of prospects.
Following the game, interim manager Andy Green might have let the quiet part slip out, which was something that many of us suspected: The New York stage was too big for Peralta.
“He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that,” Green said. “I know from talking to him, he certainly didn’t feel like it went the way that he hoped it would. I think we all feel that way.”
Why it happened still remains a mystery. The quality of his arsenal has not significantly regressed. The velocity of his pitches remains nearly identical to last year, and his pitch mix is the exact same. The only significant difference is that his arm angle has dropped slightly, but that does not warrant such a staggering difference in his stat line.
Yet his strikeout rate plummeted, his putaway capabilities practically disappeared, and his hard-hit rate increased despite avoiding more barrels.
Perhaps a change of scenery will rejuvenate the 30-year-old, especially since he’s going to a pitching lab in Tampa that has the miraculous ability to draw water from any stone. The one true certainty, though, is that New York just did not jive with what was once such a productive pitcher, who should still be in his prime.
“I think I’d let Freddy speak to that,” Stearns said. “What I know about Freddy is that he gave everything he had. I certainly know he expected to perform better here. He wished he had performed better here, but he gave everything he had. He worked incredibly hard, and I’ll be rooting for him going forward.”
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