The Rays have spent the first half of the season looking like a team built for October, and now the trade deadline is giving them a chance to act like it. Tampa Bay enters the second half with the best record in the American League, and even with that kind of standing, there are still holes they could try to patch before the stretch run.
A lineup upgrade has been floated, with Luis Arraez mentioned as a fit, and the bullpen could also use a jolt from someone like Mason Miller. But there’s another path that makes sense for a team trying to stay dangerous deep into the fall: adding another starter.
That’s where Freddy Peralta comes in.
According to Hector Gomez, the Rays are among the teams showing interest in the Mets starter, and the Brewers are said to be the top suitor for him before the deadline. The Braves are also in the mix.
SOURCE: The #Brewers have emerge as the top suitor to get starting pitcher Freddy Peralta before the trade deadline.#Braves and #Rays are showing a lot of interest in him, too.@z101digital
Peralta would be a notable name on the market because the Mets are expected to make most players available this summer as they head toward seller mode. He was one of their biggest offseason additions, brought in with the idea that he could anchor the rotation, but the move has not played out the way New York hoped.
His numbers tell the story. Peralta has gone 5-8 with a 4.66 ERA this season, a sharp drop from the 17-6 record and 2.70 ERA he posted for Milwaukee last year.
For Tampa Bay, though, the appeal is pretty clear. Peralta is set to become a free agent after the season, which should keep the acquisition cost in a range the Rays can live with. And because he’s headed for the open market, there’s reason to think he’d have plenty of motivation to finish strong down the stretch.
The Rays may not need another starter as badly as they need help elsewhere, but adding someone who can take the ball and win a postseason game is never a bad idea.
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