Milwaukee traded Peralta to the Mets in January for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat.
The Astros were among several teams (Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Giants) who reportedly reached out about him before that trade.
Houston ultimately didn't land him, and went a different direction in the rotation instead. At first it seems like a tough loss, but Peralta has not been at his best in New York.
Peralta is 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts this season, per MLB.
He has failed to complete five innings in four of his last five outings. Peralta himself has publicly said it could be his last start with the Mets, telling reporters, "I can't hide that. I know it probably is, but I have to focus and keep giving the best of myself and if it happens, it happens," per AP News.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reports the Mets and Brewers have been talking about a Peralta reunion trade, per Yahoo Sports.
That's a notable signal, his former organization, the one that developed him, may still believe in him more than his current one.
Could Houston be a better environment for Peralta to thrive and be at his best? For one, the Astros have already shown interest in him in the past, so they clearly at one point felt he could be a good fit. Houston is also a lower-pressure market compared to New York's media environment.
Sometimes it's not about talent, it's about fit, program, and environment. Peralta was an All-Star as recently as last year, this isn't a talent question, it's a system question.
The Astros are in need of a steady arm. Peralta has not shown that this season, but again, it could be a system fit, he clearly has the talent in there somewhere.
Another huge note is that Peralta has not spent any time on the injured list this season. For an injury-plagued team like the Astros, especially with pitching injuries in particular, a player who is available for every start would offer the reliability the Astros haven't seen much of, except for Peter Lambert.
If the Red Sox put up a solid fight and keep Sonny Gray, Freddy Peralta could potentially be a good fit for the Astros, if he settles in and finds better form than he has in New York.
