Recent decision might've made top NY Mets trade target more available

Whatever part of the world you grew up in, you probably played some sort of game involving the connection of dots. Maybe it was in a cheap paperback book parents could hand to kids while on road trips or perhaps you’re of a certain age where dot connection was more virtual. Making sense of the world means finding patterns and connections. Using context from the past can help us figure out what lies ahead in the future. It’s why we all think we know what the New York Mets may do this offseason.

Among the potential roster upgrades is a trade for Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. We connect the dot to the easily with the presence of David Stearns in the Mets front office and the fact he both traded for and kept Peralta for his tenure over there.

Days before free agency has begun, Peralta is switching agents. It could mean nothing for the immediate future. It may also put some added pressure on the Brewers to swing a deal and cash in on a trade involving their best pitcher.

Mets trade target Freddy Peralta is planning for his financial future with this move

Far less costly than Tarik Skubal would be for the Mets, Peralta’s $8 million salary for the coming year only adds to the intrigue. It’s less than what the league’s leader in wins this past year would get if he was to reach free agency right now. Technically possible if the Brewers insanely didn’t pick up the team option on him for 2026, the more realistic outcome is for them to deal him the same way they did Corbin Burnes a year before he became a free agent.

Peralta is coming off of his best season and his third straight of 30+ starts. The durability itself is appealing. Over those three seasons he has gone 40-25 with 3.40 ERA. Averaging 10.7 K/9, he has quietly been in the top 10 in each of those seasons with how often he fans batters.

Spotrac has Peralta’s market value listed at $30.4 million per year for a projected 5 years. The $152 million salary feels extreme. This year’s free agent class featuring players like Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, and Ranger Suarez who have all shared some of the same ups and downs as Peralta should help tell us how realistic of a deal that may be. The market evaluation seems to be a case of “if he was a free agent now.” It shouldn’t change too much next offseason despite being a year older. Five years is what a player of his ability typically commands.