The New York Mets aren’t just making noise this offseason - they’re shaking the foundation.
In a blockbuster move that signals a clear shift in direction, the Mets have acquired All-Star right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s a bold, decisive strike that beats out interest from heavyweight contenders like the Yankees and Dodgers, and it comes with a price tag that tells you exactly how serious New York is about contending right now.
Heading to Milwaukee are two of the Mets’ top prospects: shortstop Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Sproat - both consensus top-100 talents. Also included in the deal is swingman Tobias Myers, who will join Peralta in Queens. It’s a steep package, no doubt, but this is the kind of move that separates teams trying to compete from teams determined to win.
And make no mistake: the Mets are aiming high.
Peralta brings frontline ace credentials to a rotation that’s suddenly looking October-ready. He’s coming off a season that saw him finish fifth in Cy Young voting, logging over 170 innings with a sparkling 2.70 ERA.
That kind of production doesn’t just steady a rotation - it elevates it. Peralta’s got the swing-and-miss stuff that plays in any park, in any month, and he’s proven he can handle the pressure when the lights are brightest.
There’s a bit of poetic symmetry here, too. David Stearns, now running the Mets’ front office, was the executive who originally brought Peralta to Milwaukee in a trade more than a decade ago. Now, he brings him to New York as the centerpiece of a team trying to vault into the upper tier of National League contenders.
This deal didn’t come together overnight. Earlier in the day, reports surfaced that the Brewers were targeting Williams and Sproat as must-haves in any Peralta trade.
The Mets reportedly resisted including another top pitching prospect, Jonah Tong, which helped shape the final version of the deal. Joel Sherman later noted that Myers was likely to be the additional major-league arm involved - and now that’s official.
Peralta had become one of the most sought-after arms on the trade market this winter. At 29 and entering the final year of his contract, he was a prime candidate for a win-now team willing to pay the price.
The Brewers, for their part, held firm in negotiations all offseason, waiting for the right offer. Two top-100 prospects later, they got it.
For the Mets, this marks a dramatic pivot from how their offseason began. After parting ways with longtime franchise faces like Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, and Brandon Nimmo, it looked like New York might be taking a step back.
But then came the Bo Bichette signing. Then the trade for Luis Robert Jr.
And now, Freddy Peralta.
This isn’t just a team retooling - it’s a team reloading.
The Mets are no longer content to let the Dodgers collect stars or watch the Yankees dominate the city’s spotlight. They’re done waiting. With Peralta now in the fold, they’re not just part of the playoff conversation - they’re trying to lead it.