NY Mets Monday Morning GM: 5 Freddy Peralta alternatives who won't demand 7 years

Trading for Freddy Peralta became necessary for the New York Mets this offseason for a couple of reasons. They had the prospect capital to get it done. On top of that, there really wasn’t a perfect free agent fit.

A discussion we’re about to have on a near-daily basis if not at least just every fifth day when he takes the mound, the length of Peralta’s time in New York is something that’ll be discussed greatly until he’s signed to a new deal or gone. He’s a perceived match for the team for several more years. But so are a few other free agents.

With Peralta’s reported demand of 7-8 years, we need to consider some Mets alternatives in the near future. These five free agents or potential options who can break free might be the shorter and/or less expensive choice for the Mets to target.

Five pitchers the Mets could target in the future if Freddy Peralta's contract demands are too rich

1)Trevor Rogers

Trevor Rogers is a budding ace who had a great year with the Baltimore Orioles last season. The Mets had interest in him at the 2024 trade deadline. Luckily, they didn’t add him. He was terrible with the O’s. His career has been hampered by injuries, but a 1.81 ERA in 18 starts for the Orioles last year has set him up well to become a sneaky Cy Young contender. He won’t turn 29 until this November. A weaker track record than Peralta, he’s a candidate to settle for a much shorter deal with teams looking to buy more into what’s next than what last happened.

2) Nick Pivetta

A free agent target of the Mets last offseason and once again this past winter on the trade market, Nick Pivetta is sure to hit the open market this offseason for the second time in his career. He’ll pitch this entire year at 33-years-old, putting him at the age where a long-term deal will never come. This is good news for any Mets fan who has any desire to add him. He’s right there in line to get a 2 or 3 year deal. Highly-touted with only one truly big year (last year with the San Diego Padres), Pivetta feels like he’d be a good pairing to have alongside another equal arm in the rotation.

3) Drew Rasmussen

There has never been a rumor linking the Mets to Drew Rasmussen, but here’s the connection: Stearns traded him away from the Milwaukee Brewers. His growth with the Tampa Bay Rays resulted in a quiet All-Star trip in 2025 with a 2.76 ERA in 31 starts. Only his second big league season topping 100 innings, he has an $8 million team option for 2027. The Rays would be wise to pick it up. The Mets could benefit from repeating some Peralta history and trading for him.

4) Michael King

Before returning to the Padres, Michael King was a rumored Mets target in free agency. He’s another one of those modern pitchers who took a little longer than his forefathers to turn into a frontline starter. Injuries limited him to only 15 starts last year. Already 30 with his next birthday coming in May, King will at best be able to command a 5-year contract. The AAV should be less than Peralta, too.

5) Sandy Alcantara

Pinpointing how much money a team will give Sandy Alcantara in free agency is difficult because his performance has been so unpredictable. His $21 million team option for 2027 is expensive yet not out of reach for a Mets club that could always view it as market value for a guy with ace potential. If they were willing to give Frankie Montas $17 million on a two-year deal, they’re not too far-off-base to trade for Alcantara with a $21 million salary. It’s hard to conceive a scenario where the Miami Marlins don’t pick up Alcantara’s option. He’ll be a trade candidate this summer and next. Perhaps, if the need arises, the Mets even add him to pitch alongside Alcantara this year. It’s the old add Marcus Stroman to replace Zack Wheeler in advance strategy. That one, of course, didn’t work.

Are any of these players as good as Peralta? Possibly not. But with the savings and snug fit in years they can command, all feel like reasonable alternatives.