A Freddy Peralta quality sure to frustrate NY Mets fans even if you love the trade

There seems to be only two immediate reactions to the trade for Freddy Peralta. You either think the New York Mets overpaid for a rental or you’re completely understanding and excited. Even if you can sympathize with the other side, your footing is strong on how you actually feel.

Peralta is no-doubt a rotation upgrade. He’s also the modern version of what qualifies as a number one starter. Averaging about 5.1 innings per start last year, he’s not the quintessential stereotype of what we grew up thinking an ace looked like.

Freddy Peralta’s only missing trait is a proven ability to go late in games consistently

176.2 innings is great. Making 33 starts is better. Averaging 16 outs per game feels a little hollow.

Those numbers are slightly deceptive. He exited game 162 after 2 innings with purpose. There’s no reason to run him into the ground. Peralta, for the most part, was a 5-6 innings pitcher all year long. He went 8 strong in his second start of the year. He had two other instances where he failed to get through 5.

It’s not so bad when you put it like that. Would we rather have a guy who’ll give you 7-8 every other start and struggle to get through 4 innings in the other two? One complete game from back in 2021, it was a 7-inning affair as part of a doubleheader when we were still calling it quicks after 21 outs.

The big frustration with Mets starting pitchers last year was their tendency to implode around innings 5 and 6. Clay Holmes was guilty of this. Griffin Canning didn’t last long either. Who even knows about Sean Manaea? We’d change religions if a sentient being ever let him last long enough.

Because he is a high strikeout pitcher, Peralta’s pitch count has a tendency to rise quickly. The Milwaukee Brewers might have held him back at times. However, the majority of his starts seemed to reach 90-100 pitches which is a fair amount to expect from anyone but a baseball unicorn.

You might love your spouse, but the way they chew or what they do with their hands when they don’t know what to do with them might annoy you. It’s Peralta’s tendency to only take care of 66% of games that’ll have Mets fans upset with him most. More so, the anger will be directed if the bullpen behind him lacks answers.