Freddy Peralta’s Transition to the New York Mets
Freddy Peralta, the All-Star pitcher recently acquired by the New York Mets from Milwaukee, is open to the idea of signing a long-term contract with the team. However, he would like time to acclimate to his new environment before making such commitments. “I’ve got to see around, share time with my teammates and think about different ideas, learn about everybody, coaches (and) the organization in general,” Peralta remarked Tuesday.
Management’s Perspective
Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns, echoed this sentiment following Peralta’s acquisition last week. Stearns indicated that he is keen on allowing Peralta to transition into the organization before initiating discussions about a potential multiyear contract.
Current Contract and Future Prospects
Currently, the 29-year-old pitcher is set to earn $8 million this season, following the Brewers’ decision to exercise their club option from a contract signed in 2020. Peralta is slated to hit free agency after the upcoming World Series, positioning him to be one of the most sought-after players when the offseason begins. With just one year of club control left, he could not disregard the trade discussions that surrounded him during the offseason, nor could he resist speculating about the likelihood of joining the Mets. “I was trying to avoid that, but I couldn’t because family members (and) everybody (was) talking about it all the time,” he said during a Zoom conference. “But I had a feeling that I was coming to the Mets.”
Trade Confirmation and Emotional Reflections
Peralta’s prediction was confirmed when he was traded last Wednesday in exchange for pitchers Brandon Sproat and promising prospect Jett Williams. This reunion with Stearns is notable, given that Stearns was instrumental in bringing Peralta to Milwaukee from the Seattle Mariners as a rookie back in December 2015.
Reflecting on his move from Milwaukee, where he spent his entire career, Peralta acknowledged the mixed emotions associated with such a transition. “I knew that something was going to happen, and it was a little hard at the same time because I spent my whole career in Milwaukee and there are a lot of great memories there,” he shared. “But this is a business, and anything can happen. I was prepared for the moment. And to be honest, I’m really happy to be here in New York and be a member of the Mets organization.”
Impact on the Mets Rotation
Peralta’s signing adds star power to a Mets rotation that has experienced upheaval this offseason, as the team also let go of key players like Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Brandon Nimmo, and star closer Edwin Díaz. The Mets struggled to maintain their momentum last season after starting with the best record in the majors but ultimately missing the playoffs.
Impressive Performance and Goals
Last year, Peralta had an impressive performance, earning a spot at the National League All-Star game and finishing fifth in the Cy Young Award voting after leading the league with 17 victories, a career-best 2.70 ERA over 176 2/3 innings across 33 starts, and striking out 204 batters. He joins an elite category alongside Dylan Cease as the only pitchers to have at least 30 starts and 200 strikeouts in each of the past three seasons. Interestingly, the Mets had not seen a pitcher achieve back-to-back 30-start seasons since the days of Steven Matz and Jacob deGrom in 2018 and 2019.
Peralta, who aims to deliver substantial contributions to his new team, emphasized the importance of staying healthy and ready for every start: “That’s the No. 1 important thing for me — to be healthy, to be ready every five days to take the ball and go and pitch and be there for the team,” he stated. “I know that when you have 30 starts, ideally 30-plus starts, something good is going to be on the line.”
