Biggest Question Surrounding Starter Freddy Peralta Is Now About His Trade Value

The New York Mets have a Freddy Peralta problem, and it’s no longer about how the starter's performance affects this year’s team on the field. Peralta is making it increasingly obvious with each passing start that he’s a trade chip come August, and the only question to answer between now and then is his trade value. 

Yesterday didn’t help. Peralta submitted another bad start against the Toronto Blue Jays, as he gave up five runs in four innings, and in the process, his ERA rose to 4.81, which is the sixth-worst among qualified MLB starters, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. 

“Not good,” Peralta said after the 9-3 loss. “I don’t feel good. But just trying to come back and make the adjustments.”

Meanwhile, cue the excuses and shrugs. GM David Stearns recently said Peralta’s problems are due to what he called “nagging mechanical flaws.” Peralta has called it “probably” the worst stretch of his career, and he says he’ll figure things out, then doesn’t. 

Under different circumstances, this would put the Mets in a good position. There are plenty of pitching-desperate contenders in MLB right now, and even an average version of Peralta given the lack of other options and the high price tag associated with the sweepstakes for Detroit Tigers starter Tarki Skubal. 

But there are other bad things happening with Peralta, as DiComo noted. His fastball velocity is down, and so is his strikeout rate. His arm angle is lower, which could be contributing to what the writer described as his struggles on fastballs up in the zone. 

“It happens,” Peralta said. “I just need to be better.”

Peralta’s postseason track record isn’t good, either, so it’s a whole bowlful of bad for the Mets right now. GM David Stearns said last week that he doesn’t intend to entertain trade discussions “in a targeted way” until mid-July. This seems like an exercise in checking off days on the calendar given where the Mets are right now, which is sitting in last in the NL East at 36-51. 

The Mets profile as classic sellers, and they should be in that mode immediately. DiComo mentioned several other attractive options, including relievers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter and starter Clay Holmes, although it would be tought to break up a bullpen that’s been brilliant. But Peralta is the showcase trade piece, and it’s hard to mount an argument against fielding offers for him immediately to start to drive up the price and get back as much as possible.