Freddy Peralta’s name is already getting tossed around as one of the more appealing arms on the free-agent market, and Ken Rosenthal sees one landing spot in particular as a natural match: the Chicago Cubs.
“Freddy Peralta is an obvious fit for them,” Rosenthal said on FoulTerritoryTV. “He’s a guy that of course pitched for [Cubs manager] Craig Counsel in Milwaukee, they know him well. He knows the division well.
That connection matters, but Rosenthal also made it clear the Cubs’ roster shape could push them into a busy winter. With multiple needs to address, he said, “They’re gonna have to be active [in free agency].”
Peralta, who the Mets traded at the deadline, spent his postseason with the Tampa Bay Rays and delivered a strong run when it mattered most. He went 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in five postseason appearances as Tampa Bay advanced to the World Series, and he was named MVP of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians.
Now an unrestricted free agent, Peralta has already been linked to several clubs, including the Giants, Twins, White Sox and Padres, along with possible returns to Tampa Bay and the Mets.
Rosenthal has been especially bullish on Peralta’s market after the right-hander’s turnaround with the Rays. “Freddy Peralta is a classic example of a player who benefited from a change of teams, and not only returned to form and regained his form, but became the best version of himself that we’ve seen,” Rosenthal said recently on FoulTerritoryTV.
He added that Peralta’s stuff ticked up in the postseason and that Tampa Bay helped unlock another level. “He was throwing harder in the postseason than he had in his entire career.
Also incorporated a changeup. They made a number of different adjustments with him to elicit this kind of performance from him, and it clearly worked.
Rosenthal’s read is that clubs will look at Peralta and see a pitcher who still has plenty left to offer, especially with the way teams convince themselves they can replicate the Rays’ success. “So now if you’re a team looking at him, you’re saying, ‘OK, he’s still really good.’
And you know how this works, all teams think they’re smart , all teams think, ‘Tampa Bay got he most out of him, we can do the same.’ I expect he’s going to do very well [in free agency].”
He also suggested a deal could come together fast, even with the possibility of a lockout hanging over the market. Peralta’s agency, ACES - Sam and Seth Levinson out of New York - has a reputation for moving quickly.
“Freddy Peralta’s agent is the group ‘ACES,’ they’re Sam and Seth Levinson out of New York,” Rosenthal said. “That’s a group that generally has liked to act quickly in free agency and just kind of get things going. So I think, in Peralta’s case, yeah I think he could go quickly.”
In Other News...
Mets Prospects Are Sending Very Different Signals In Arizona
The Arizona Fall League has offered a mixed read on a handful of Mets prospects over the past week, with some players stacking productive outings while others have been harder to pin down. The game results from Nov. 2 through Nov. 8 have given the organization a fresh look at where several young names stand, and the season-to-date numbers have started to separate those who are making a clear case from those still searching for rhythm.
Bruin Agbayani, Boston Baro, Cole Mathis, Irving Cota, Brendan Girton, Ryan Lambert, Peyton Prescott and Calvin Ziegler have all been part of that uneven picture, with batting and pitching lines that point in different directions. For the Mets, that is the point of the AFL in the first place: a chance to see which prospects are building momentum, which ones are simply getting reps, and which ones still have a little more proving to do before the winter wraps up. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Could Face An Early Trade Mistake At GM Meetings
The GM Meetings are set to put the Mets in a familiar spot, balancing present-day needs against a roster that still has plenty of moving parts. Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez are both part of that conversation, and the front office is weighing whether to use one of those young pieces to bring back help that fits a more immediate need, especially on the mound.
What makes this stretch tricky is the timing. With an impending lockout hanging over the sport, the Mets may not get many clean chances to reshape the roster later, which raises the stakes on every trade discussion now. That is why the idea of chasing short-term starting pitching rentals is being viewed with caution, even as names like Reid Detmers surface in broader talks and the pressure to make the right call only grows. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Bullpen Squeeze Leaves David Stearns Facing Harder Choices
Luis Garcias exit after only six games was a reminder of how little room there is for error in a Mets bullpen that was already packed when the offseason began. Signed as a free agent last winter, Garcia never got much of a runway before the club designated him for assignment, and his departure only sharpened the roster squeeze David Stearns inherited.
The bigger issue now is flexibility, or the lack of it. With no impending free agents to clear space and several pitchers still under review because of availability and performance concerns, the Mets have to sort out who fits where before they can even think about adding to the mix. Setup roles and the ninth inning are part of the conversation, but the more immediate challenge is simply finding enough breathing room to make the bullpen work. [Read more 🡒]