Freddy Peralta's arrival injects much-needed star power, instantly transforming the Mets' rotation and solidifying their contender status.
The New York Mets possibly had the greatest offseason in the MLB. After suffering a woeful, embarrassing collapse at the end of the 2025 campaign, the Mets slammed their foot on the gas pedal once again, heavily investing in their roster for the 2026 season.
President of baseball operations David Stearns did it via both free agency and the trade market, landing multiple stars in the process. With all the new faces coming into New York that will have huge impacts on their success this year, I’m predicting the most impactful move of them all to be the trade for right-handed ace Freddy Peralta.
It’s not a shocking choice – even with the other stars the Mets added this winter. Still, Peralta’s addition to this Mets roster is what solidified them as a true contender in the National League once again.
The Mets gave up a haul for Peralta, who will enter free agency after the 2026 season. Trading away two top 100 prospects, New York paid the price to land the best available player at their most needed position.
The starting rotation was the main cause for the Mets’ collapse in 2025. After the All-Star break, multiple starters took huge hits to their stats. The rest of the team was never fully able to make up for the sudden lack of pitching help, and they missed the postseason altogether. Rookie Nolan McLean makes the rotation better, but the addition of a two-time All-Star and his 2.70 ERA is exactly what Mets fans needed to instill some confidence in their rotation again.
One look at his Baseball Savant page tells the story. He finished 2025 in the 96th percentile for pitching run value, finishing near the top of the league in vital metrics such as whiff percentage, hard-hit percentage, average exit velocity, and many others.
The Mets also acquired players like third baseman Bo Bichette, center fielder Luis Robert Jr., and closer Devin Williams, to name a few, but Peralta perfectly solves the issue that plagued the Mets last season.
After landing in New York with serious postseason ambitions and on a contract year, Peralta is set up for a monstrous 2026 campaign. There will be many new players to watch for at the start of the 2026 season for Mets fans, but I’m confident that Peralta will finish the 2026 campaign as the most impactful addition from this offseason.