The New York Mets were expecting big thing when they traded for Peralta, but so far he hasn't delivered any length.
There are many things that go into defining an ace, and one of them is the ability to go deep into games to take pressure off the bullpen. But Freddy Peralta hasn’t done that so far for the New York Mets, and while it’s understandable in his first couple of starts, it’s starting to become a legitimate question to wonder why not.
Peralta is averaging 5-1/3 innings per start, and that’s actually not far from his average, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Last year was a career year for Peralta, and his average length was almost exactly the same, the writer added. The kicker is that Peralta has not recorded an out in the seventh in over nine months.
That level of what DiComo called “inefficiency” once again cost Peralta in his latest start last night against the Colorado Rockies. He threw 5-2/3 innings, but he needed 95 pitches to get 17 outs as he gave up two runs, and the Mets were forced to use Sean Manaea in the sixth. Manaea allowed two more Rockies runs to score, and the result was a 4-3 loss.
“He’ll get there,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Peralta, although it’s unclear what he’s basing this prediction on. “He’s an ace. I’m not worried about that. I trust him, and I know that he’s more than capable to go long in the games.”
Peralta’s record fell to 1-3, as the Mets don’t have a particularly strong bullpen to pick up Peralta. Indeed, their bullpen is currently slumping, with new closer Devin Williams costing the Mets two games in the last week alone.
Peralta says he’s not bothered by this, but it’s fair to wonder how long that’s going to last. The offense isn’t giving him much to work with, but that’s a different problem right now.
“The only stuff that I didn’t like about tonight was that I couldn’t finish the sixth,” Peralta said. “But other than that, I feel good about it.”
Last year was a career year for Peralta, but he still finished 24th in the majors in innings. He’s reliable, but he’s tied for 15th right now, and that number could drop as other hitters start to ramp up and the weather gets warmer.
Peralta is also well aware of the problem.
“I put pressure on myself just thinking about it,” Peralta said.
He’s already lobbied for an extension, but Peralta hasn’t earned it yet. It’s fair to ask if this is a level of performance the Mets want to pay for over the long haul, even after giving up starter Brandon Sproat and infielder Luisangel Acuna to get Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers.