The Mets are heading toward the trade deadline with a clear path in front of them: move the players on expiring deals, and Freddy Peralta looks like one of the names that fits that bill.
Peralta’s season in Queens hasn’t matched the expectation. Before the All-Star break, he had a 4.66 ERA and a career-high 1.438 WHIP, and there hasn’t been any real sign of progress toward a contract extension. As The Athletic’s Jim Bowden put it Monday, “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,” and “He’s a free agent at the end of the season, and there has been no momentum toward negotiating a contract extension.”
Bowden’s answer is a simple one-for-one deal with the Padres: Peralta to San Diego for left-hander Kash Mayfield, the club’s No. 4 prospect on MLB Pipeline.
It’s the kind of return that would give New York something to show for a tough season from a pitcher who hasn’t delivered. Bowden described Mayfield as “the Padres’ first-round pick in 2024,” adding, “He’s reached High A and is missing bats at a high rate. He recently participated in the Futures Game.”
Mayfield has put together a 3.20 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 50.2 innings for High-A Fort Wayne.
The Mets’ original trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for Peralta made sense when it happened, but the results haven’t lined up the way New York hoped. Even if Peralta had turned in another strong season, the club would still be facing this same decision now. At this point, cutting losses is the move.
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