The Mets may have a path to turn Freddy Peralta into more than a one-player deadline return, and Luke Weaver is the piece that makes it work.
Peralta is expected to pitch for New York tonight, but he also looks like the kind of arm the Mets could move before August 3rd. The latest buzz points to a setup that could help them squeeze more value out of the deal: according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Milwaukee Brewers are also interested in Weaver.
That matters because Peralta alone might not bring back the kind of haul the Mets want. But once Weaver is attached to the conversation, the equation changes. A team can justify paying more in quality if it’s getting two major leaguers at once, even if one of them is the bigger prize and the other is the cleaner trade chip.
Weaver is the more intriguing part of the package from a Mets standpoint. He has an extra year of control, which makes him a far more flexible asset than a pure rental.
That gives New York a real decision to make: cash him in now while his value is up in a lost year, or hold him for 2025 as the club tries to get back where it belongs. With the return likely to be modest for a lot of the roster, there’s a case for moving him if the market brings back something notable.
If the Brewers are the partner, Andrew Fischer looks like the kind of prospect that fits what the Mets need. The third baseman has posted a 1.088 OPS between High-A and Double-A this season, brings power, and plays a position New York has been trying to solve long term. He’s not described as a defensive standout, but a move across the diamond to first base would make sense and help address another opening.
Milwaukee also has more first-base depth in the system, including Blake Burke, who has 29 home runs in Double-A.
Peralta by himself probably doesn’t land anything huge. Weaver, on his own, could bring back a stronger return because of that extra year of control. Put them together, and the Mets have a chance to turn one deadline conversation into something much bigger.
It’s the kind of structure Mets fans can recognize. The best comparison is the Javier Baez and Trevor Williams return for Pete Crow-Armstrong, when one player with limited trade value was bundled with another who had far more appeal. Peralta would be the Baez in that setup, Weaver the Williams, and the Mets could use that same formula to maximize the return.
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Mets Fans Wont Like Where This Freddy Peralta Situation Is Headed
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According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, the Mets do not plan to offer Peralta a contract extension and are expected to move him sometime this summer. His uneven season has made that decision easier from a value standpoint, since his stock is not where it was when New York acquired him, but it also leaves the club with another familiar deadline dilemma: cash in now, or wait and risk getting less later. [Read more 🡒]
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Lindors contract runs through the 2031 season, and the Mets do not appear inclined to consider a move anytime soon. For a team that has spent plenty of time weighing big-picture roster decisions, the message here is straightforward: Lindor is still part of the plan, and the expectation is that he stays in Queens at least through 2026. [Read more 🡒]