The countdown to MLB’s trade deadline is on, which will officially conclude at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Conversations are heating up around the league, with another notable deal officially completed centered around Freddy Peralta.
While the Tarik Skubal trade from the Tigers to the Dodgers will likely remain as the headline blockbuster deal, another key starting pitcher is off the trade market. In the latest MLB move, Freddy Peralta has been traded from the New York Mets to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Freddy Peralta trade details, team grades
After showing interest in Skubal and missing out on the two-time Cy Young winner, the Rays shifted gears and are bringing in Freddy Peralta to further bolster their starting pitching rotation.
Per the latest reporting, here are the full trade details:
Tampa Bay Rays Receive:
- RHP Freddy Peralta
New York Mets Receive:
- OF Aidan Smith
- RHP Gary Gill Hill
- 2B Emilien Pitre
Rays Trade Outlook:
This is a clear move to further push the chips in the middle and contend this season by the Tampa Bay Rays. They are off to a 65-45 start to the season, holding a 3.5-game lead over the Yankees for the top seed in the American League East. Tampa Bay is currently -145 favorites to win the AL East on DraftKings Sportsbook and hold the fifth-best odds of winning the World Series at +1200 odds.
Freddy Peralta has had a tough season in his first year with the Mets. After joining the organization just six months ago in one of the more notable offseason trades, the 30-year-old has struggled quite a bit. Across his 22 starts this season, Peralta is holding a 5-9 record, a 4.99 ERA, a 1.478 WHIP, has allowed 17 home runs, and tallied 113 strikeouts across 113.2 innings pitched. The two-time All-Star has performed well below his career averages and is posting at or new career worst marks in most key statistical categories.
Peralta will join a strong Rays’ pitching staff headlined by Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan, and Nick Martinez. Tampa Bay did not have to dip too heavily into their collection of prospects, with Aiden Smith the most notable name. Smith was considered the 15th prospect in Tampa Bay’s system per MLB Pipeline. Peralta is an impending free agent, so he will be a rental with the clear goal of further competing for a World Series this year. The Rays deserve credit for further doubling down on a strength and adding to their pitching staff with the margins so slim for contending. While Peralta has not been impressive this season by any stretch, sometimes a new location can be the difference, and there will be less pressure on him in this new role.
Rays Trade Grade: B+
Mets Trade Outlook:
The New York Mets hold the highest total payroll in all of baseball and have their sights set on competing deep into the playoffs. But there comes a point where you have to accept the results on the field, and New York currently sits in last place in the National League East with a 47-65 overall record. This is the fifth-worst record in the MLB and the Mets’ odds of winning the division have jumped to +25000 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
It is tough to feel great about the full process of the deal considering what the Mets gave up to bring in Peralta this offseason. New York sent infielder Jett Williams and RHP Brandon Sproat to the Brewers, who were their third- and sixth-ranked prospects in the organization at the time of the deal. Sproat has made 20 appearances and 18 starts for the Brewers this season with varying degrees of success, while Jett Williams has had some encouraging flashes at the AAA level.
New York will add OF Aiden Smith, RHP Gary Gill Hill, and 2B Emilien Pitre as the return in this deal. These players ranked as the 15th, 26th, and 27th prospects in the Rays’ farm system per MLB pipeline.
Given the outlook of the Mets’ season, it is better to get something in return for a player who will have the freedom to walk away in free agency anyway. But the Peralta trade has not worked out in any way the organization hoped, with neither the team’s success nor the former All-Star pitcher’s individual performance reaching its desired standard. There will be plenty of other uncomfortable conversations about the future of this Mets team moving forward, but they will hope the addition of these three prospects will help them to begin trending in the right direction.
