The Mets finished second in the NL East last season and were in desperate need of an ace. Their search led them to Freddy Peralta, who had spent eight seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and posted a 3.59 ERA. In January, they traded for him, but Peralta failed to make the desired impact. From May 23 through July 20, the right-hander posted a 6.67 ERA across 11 starts, further damaging the Mets’ playoff hopes. As the MLB trade deadline approached, the Mets did what they felt was necessary, and the interim manager shed light on the decision.

“I know he’s disappointed by it. He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that,” Andy Green said, as per SNY Mets on X. “And I know from talking to him, he certainly doesn’t feel like it went how he hoped it would, and I think we all feel that way…

“He gave us everything he had, and he stepped onto the mound every single day and competed. I know he wanted better results, and when we struck a deal to get him, we were hoping for a different set of circumstances than what we are looking at.”

The Mets are 47-66 this season, while the Rays are 65-46 and sit atop the AL East. Meanwhile, Peralta posted a 4.99 ERA with 113 strikeouts and a 5-9 record across 22 starts for New York. He became an expendable piece as the Mets shifted their focus to rebuilding the roster. As a result, they traded him to the Rays in exchange for outfielder Aidan Smith, right-hander Gary Gill Hill, and infielder Émilien Pitre. 

The 30-year-old originally signed a five-year, $15.5 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. New York acquired him in January to strengthen its roster. But he has posted some of the worst numbers of his career this season. Despite his struggles, Green had nothing but positive things to say about the starter.

The interim manager acknowledged that everyone in the organization wanted to be in a different situation, but they haven’t been able to incorporate any quantifiable change despite their best efforts. The Rays, on the other hand, were looking for rotation help. They were initially looking to rope in Tarik Skubal, but that ultimately couldn’t happen as the Los Angeles Dodgers swapped 3 of their top prospects to put him on their already elite rotation. 

Although Peralta is making just $8 million in the final year of his contract, it represented a relatively modest financial commitment. To top that, the Rays aren’t betting on a starter with a high ERA; they’re betting on a proven arm with two All-Star selections and six postseason appearances.

While Andy Green mentioned Peralta being disappointed, the player himself only showed gratitude toward the organization. 

“My teammates, everybody here in the organization, they’ve been amazing, Peralta said after the trade news broke. “And it’s not easy to not think about [going away]. At the end of the day, it’s business and I have to understand that. I have to keep focus and keep giving my best.”

While Freddy Peralta will miss the Mets, he will look to make a fresh start in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Mets will try to capitalize on the final hours of the MLB trade deadline to revamp their roster.