Freddy Peralta is coming to terms with the reality that his time in a New York Mets uniform may already be over. The right-handed pitcher indicated after Sunday’s game that he expects to be traded before the August 3 deadline as the club looks to move on.
Peralta made the admission following a four-inning performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he surrendered three runs — two of them earned — on six hits and two walks. It took him 93 pitches to get through 12 outs, and he struck out three batters. The Mets won the game 8-3.
When asked directly whether he believed it was his last time taking the mound for the Mets, Peralta didn’t sugarcoat it. “I know it probably is,” he said.
Although he is currently penciled in to start Friday against the Miami Marlins, New York has little reason to hold onto him. The team has fallen well out of the National League playoff race, and Peralta is set to become a free agent, giving the organization minimal incentive to keep him around.
The Mets brought Peralta over from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason, expecting him to anchor their starting rotation. That plan has not come together. The two-time All-Star carries a 5-9 record and a 4.99 ERA through 22 starts, pitching at least six innings just six times all season.
His recent outings have been especially rough. Peralta hasn’t logged a quality start since June 3, and since that date his ERA has ballooned to 7.34.
“I know so far I’ve let them down,” Peralta said. “I haven’t done what I was supposed to do.”
The 30-year-old arrived in New York off a career year with Milwaukee, where he went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts over 176 2/3 innings. That resume, combined with the high demand for starting pitching among playoff contenders, still makes him one of the Mets’ more appealing pieces heading into the trade deadline despite his current struggles.
Peralta said he’s confident his best baseball is still ahead of him, regardless of where he ends up. “We haven’t done what we expected to do, in general, but especially myself,” he said. “I know I can be way better than this. I still believe in myself. I was born to be a winner and not a loser. I think I have a lot in me, a lot to show. I know it can change because I still have time to make a change.”
