Why Mets Should Trade Two-Time All-Star, Which Teams Could Be In Pursuit

The New York Mets haven’t been able to generate any momentum with its overhauled roster after making lots of changes in the offseason, losing yet another series and falling to 36-51.

The Mets were embarrassed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the series finale, losing 9-3 and not putting up a fight until the final two innings when it was too late. Any time it seems like New York might start to go on a little run to make up some ground in the standings, the team plays like a Little League club and makes a fool out of itself.

With a chance to win a series for interim manager Andy Green, who stepped into the role after Carlos Mendoza was canned on June 26, New York turned to right-hander Freddy Peralta to pitch the series-clinching game.

Unfortunately, Peralta hasn’t pitched like the ace New York thought it was acquiring from the Milwaukee Brewers and he put up another clunker. The Blue Jays tagged Peralta for five runs on seven hits and three walks over four innings of work, striking out four times but handing the two-time All-Star his seventh loss of the season.

Peralta is now 5-7 with a 4.81 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 92 strikeouts to 38 walks while allowing 13 home runs through 18 starts (95.1 innings). The Mets traded for Peralta knowing he had one year remaining on his contract at just $8 million, hoping it could extend him long-term to be the anchor of the starting rotation, but those talks died down early.

It would be in New York’s best interest to trade Peralta at this point, and despite his poor performance so far, he could bring back a decent return.

“Peralta is heading to free agency and, despite that 4.81 ERA, he still projects as one of the top available starting pitchers,” ESPN’s David Schoenfield wrote Thursday. “But teams looking to acquire him will have to scout him closely and decide if he's a difference-maker for their rotation.”

Schoenfield notes that Peralta’s strikeout rate is down by a wide margin and he is getting hit harder, but it could just be “the stink of the Mets rubbing off on him.”

His suitors could be both teams in Chicago, the Cubs and White Sox, which are both in position to make the playoffs in their respective leagues.

The White Sox are last in innings pitched by starters because of their use of openers and Schoenfield mentions that the starting rotation’s ERA (15th) is misleading as a result. The team needs another starter, and this could be the route general manager Chris Getz goes because the cost shouldn’t be astronomical.

The Cubs may be the most desperate team that needs pitching. The North Siders have 13 pitchers on the injured list and had to trade for lefty David Peterson out of necessity, although he looked sharp in his debut against the team’s bitter rival.

It seems like every day the Cubs lose a pitcher, and Peralta is pretty durable. Whether one or both Chicago teams are interested remains to be seen, but Peralta is likely on his way out.