The New York Mets made some big offseason moves, but perhaps the biggest was trading with the Milwaukee Brewers for starter Freddy Peralta, who will slot in as New York’s ace when the 2026 season begins.
Freddy Peralta has already become a fan favorite with the Mets, and why wouldn’t he be when you take a look at his absurd stats. And especially considering how the Mets’ rotation endured hardships and injuries last season, this was an almost perfect move by David Stearns. However, it could be overshadowed if the Mets don’t re-sign by the end of the 2026 season or ink him to a contract extension before then.
The good news for Mets fans is that Freddy Peralta has already expressed his joy for being with the Mets and playing alongside fellow Dominican-born player, Juan Soto, and also Francisco Lindor.
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What Was Freddy Peralta’s Surprising Comment?
Getty(Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
On Wednesday, during an appearance on FoulTerritory, Freddy Peralta indicated he’d hope he’d land with the Mets, and wanted to join the team from Queens:
Yeah, 100%, I had a feeling, and I wanted to come here. I’m not going to lie, and my family, we’re all together.”
The FoulTerritory crew also slipped in a question about the possibility of an extension, but Peralta took the high road with a “I have no comment on that” statement.
Reports by Ken Rosenthal show that the Mets and right-hander Freddy Peralta still haven’t had any contract talks, but those talks could also ramp up as the season approaches here shortly. It’s not uncommon to see big extensions handed out either right before the season begins or shortly after it starts. Freddy Peralta is certainly one of the situations in MLB right now.
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Freddy Peralta’s Impact as a Starter
Freddy Peralta emerged in 2025 as one of the best starters in MLB. He posted a 2.70 ERA over 176.2 innings and 200+ strikeouts.
He has three straight seasons of 30+ starts and 200+ strikeouts, and two All-Star appearances.
If the Mets want to retain him either now or in free agency, and all signs point to they do, Stearns will have to meet Freddy Peralta on his contract demands, which will be a multi-year deal with an AAV somewhere in the $25-30 million range.
He’s just had that much of an impact as a starter. In seasons where he’s pitched 140+ innings, Peralta has not posted an ERA under 4.00 in his career, and since emerging as a starter in 2021, he’s averaged around 25 starts per season, which is exactly what the Mets need from their ace, production and durability.
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