The Mets are heading into sell mode with two weeks left before the trade deadline, and Freddy Peralta looks like he’s already got one foot out the door.
Peralta’s having the kind of season that makes front offices reach for the phone. He’s posted a 4.66 ERA with a career-high 1.438 WHIP before the All-Star break, and there’s been zero momentum on extension talks.
The right-hander’s an unrestricted free agent after this season, which means the Mets need to move him now or watch him walk for nothing.
“Peralta has had a disappointing season for the Mets, posting a 4.66 ERA with a career-high 1.438 WHIP before the All-Star break. He’s a free agent at the end of the season, and there has been no momentum toward negotiating a contract extension.”
That’s The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, who floated an interesting trade scenario Monday that could work for both sides.
A Padres Deal That Makes Sense
Bowden’s proposal is clean: send Peralta to San Diego for Kash Mayfield, the Padres’ No. 4-ranked prospect.
It’s the kind of one-for-one swap that could benefit everyone involved.
Mayfield was San Diego’s first-round pick in 2024 and he’s already reached High-A Fort Wayne, where he’s been missing bats at a high rate. The left-hander’s posted a 3.20 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 50.2 innings and recently participated in the Futures Game.
For a Mets organization that needs to restock their farm system, getting a recent first-rounder who’s already showing advanced command makes sense.
“In return, the Mets would get left-handed pitching prospect Kash Mayfield, who was the Padres’ first-round pick in 2024. He’s reached High A and is missing bats at a high rate. He recently participated in the Futures Game.”
The Padres, meanwhile, get a veteran arm who could help their playoff push, even if Peralta hasn’t been at his best this season.
Cutting Their Losses
The original trade that brought Peralta to New York wasn’t terrible at the time. But things haven’t worked out as planned, and that’s baseball.
Even if Peralta was having a strong year, the Mets would probably still be sellers given where they sit in the standings. Now it’s just about getting what they can for a guy who’s walking anyway.
With other expiring contracts also likely to be moved, this could be just the beginning of New York’s deadline activity. The question isn’t whether they’ll trade Peralta – it’s what kind of return they can get for him.
