Overview
- The Mets are positioned to sell at the August trade deadline and have multiple players attracting interest, with Freddy Peralta the most talked‑about starter on the market.
- Analyst Andy McCullough said it would be 'stunning' if New York could recoup the surplus prospect value it surrendered for Peralta in the offseason, signaling expectations for only a modest return.
- Peralta’s 2026 numbers have dropped sharply to a 4.99 ERA, an 84 ERA+, a 1.478 WHIP and 9.5 hits per nine, which are the concrete reasons teams are pricing him lower than last winter.
- Despite the decline, teams see bounce‑back upside from his 2025 All‑Star season (2.70 ERA, 17 wins), and contenders including the Rays have shown interest because he is affordable and under team control only through this year.
- The Mets are likely to aim to turn Peralta into short‑term assets to replenish the farm and clear payroll rather than recover a package equal to Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, which lowers expectations for a blockbuster return.