JUPITER, Fla. — The Mets traded for Freddy Peralta to give the rotation a true No. 1 starter. The way they see it, it’s only fitting to give the right-hander the most prominent rotation slot of the regular season: Opening Day starter.
“As soon as we acquired him, it was pretty clear that he was going to be pitching for us at the front of our rotation, so he earned it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday afternoon ahead of Peralta’s first Grapefruit League start of the spring. “He’s got it. I’m excited — we’re all excited.”
The crowning jewel of the Mets’ offseason, the Mets got Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers in late January in exchange for two highly-ranked prospects, right-hander Brandon Sproat and infielder/center fielder Jett Williams. It was a lot to give up for a pitcher with only a year left on his contract and no guarantee of an extension, but the club liked the person and player they were getting.
“The first day I met him, for me, it seemed like he [had been] part of this team for years,” Mendoza said. “He brings that joy everywhere he goes. It’s contagious. You’re in the kitchen, he’s right there and there’s a bunch of people smiling. You go in the weight room and he’s right there. There’s that joy to it that brings.”
For a moment, it looked as though the 29-year-old would remain in Milwaukee for his walk year. The Brewers had made it known they would be shopping him on the trade market right after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, knowing they wouldn’t have the kind of money he would command as a free agent. Yet he remained on the market for much of the offseason.
A few weeks before the trade, he had lunch with Juan Soto in the Dominican Republic, where they discussed the possibility of a trade that would unite them both in Queens. Though Peralta knew it was out of his control, the possibility was always there, especially with David Stearns leading the baseball operations efforts for the Mets.
Now that it’s a reality, the Mets are showing Peralta how much they value his presence.
“It’s exciting to watch him,” Mendoza said. “He’s a special human with the energy he brings.”
A two-time All-Star, Peralta has a career ERA of 3.59 in 211 Major League games since 2018. He’s been a stalwart starter for the Brewers over the last three seasons, pitching no fewer than 165 2/3 innings while regularly making 30 or more starts. Last season, he led the NL with 17 wins, going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and a 3.64 FIP in 176 2/3 innings pitched, coming in fifth place in Cy Young Award voting.
Peralta will face the pitcher who won the award at Citi Field on March 26, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
