Freddy Peralta straight up admitted it, he knows he’s probably gone. The New York Mets are a full 18 games under .500 and completely out of the playoff picture with only eight days left before the August 3rd trade deadline, and Peralta expects to be one of the “assets” shipped off to a contender. This whole offseason makeover, which cost them a ton, just went bust after last year’s second-half collapse, and now they are selling everything.
From Frontline Ace to Trade Bait: What Went Wrong?
Man, this is a tough one. The Mets brought in Peralta in January from Milwaukee, giving up Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, two players who were ranked as top 100 prospects. The idea was he’d be the frontline starter they desperately needed. Instead, he’s sitting at a 5-9 record with a 4.99 ERA through 22 starts. And get this: he hasn’t even completed five innings in four of his last five outings. It’s a complete flip from what everyone expected. After he beat Atlanta 8-1 on June 14, his record was 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA, which isn’t great, but it’s not awful. But since then? He’s gone 0-4 with a brutal 7.93 ERA in his last seven starts, including a June 20th disaster where he gave up 10 runs and 10 hits in only 2 2/3 innings against Philadelphia. Yikes.
Peralta’s Raw Honesty and a Teammate’s Hot Streak
It’s gotta be hard for a guy like Peralta to look in the mirror right now. After his last start on Sunday, where he threw 93 pitches and gave up three runs (two earned) over four innings in an 8-3 win against the Dodgers, he didn’t pull any punches. “I can’t hide that,” he said. “I know it probably is, but I have to focus and keep giving the best of myself and if it happens, it happens. I’m just thankful and grateful to be part of this organization. I know that so far I let them down. I haven’t done what I was supposed to do, but I’m grateful to be here.” That’s some real talk. He was a two-time All-Star for a reason, even leading the National League in wins with a 17-6 record and 2.70 ERA last season for the Brewers. Mets interim manager Andy Green still believes in him, saying, “I trust him because he is going to catch his rhythm and go dominate five or six innings, which is all you’re ever looking for from a starter in a postseason situation.” While Peralta struggles, his teammate Tyrone Taylor, who also came over from Milwaukee in a December 2023 trade, is absolutely raking. Taylor, also a pending free agent, is hitting .382 with a massive 1.403 OPS since June 28, which is the highest in the big leagues among players with at least 30 plate appearances. He’s got five homers in just 33 at-bats since returning from a hip injury. Talk about making yourself attractive to contenders!
What’s Next for Peralta and the Mets?
With the trade deadline looming just days away, Freddy Peralta is almost certainly on his way out. He’s a free agent after this season, and the Mets are clearly focused on offloading players. For Peralta, it’s about finding a contender where he can rediscover that 2025 form and prove he’s still “born to be a winner, not a loser,” as he put it. The Mets, meanwhile, are just trying to get what they can for their pieces before the clock runs out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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