The Mets must make this trade offer for Freddy Peralta from the Brewers

The New York Mets entered the offseason determined to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2025. Despite a large payroll and the addition of superstar right fielder Juan Soto, New York failed to reach the playoffs. Now the The Mets are turning their attention to free agency.

With Steve Cohen’s blessing, New York president of baseball operations David Stearns is expected to aggressively pursue the best players available on the open market. However, Mets fans had a rough week as the team allowed Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz to be free agents.

The The Mets have been linked with Kyle Tucker this offseason. The team could also pivot and try to steal Cody Bellinger away from the Yankees. However Stearns continues, it’s a safe bet New York will add a power bat this winter to replace Alonso’s production in the lineup.

The start of the toss submerged Metsu in the sean

While a number of factors contributed to the Mets’ 2025 slump, starting pitching was the main culprit. New York’s rotation struggled with injuries and inconsistency last season. And things got even worse down the line. Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea and David Peterson limped to the finish line.

The The Mets turned to a trio of starters to save their season. Nolan McLean led the way, followed by Jonah Tong and Brandon Sprott. All three young pitchers have shown flashes, but Maclin has been sensational in a historic start to his career. Unfortunately, the young guns couldn’t get New York back on track and the team missed out on a Wild Card spot.

The Mets have some things in place, but the team’s mix of veteran middle and back end and homegrown talent isn’t good enough. New York needs to upgrade if they want to boast a championship-caliber rotation. And bringing in a large group of quality starters is even more important given the Los Angeles Dodgers’ impressive arsenal.

New York is looking to add a top starter in free agency. The team was missing Dylan Sis, who signed a $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the The Mets are reportedly the favorite to land Framber Valdez.

Steve Cohen’s money keeps New York in the game for every free agent. And the team is in dire need of an ace for 2026. But the Mets could also bolster their rotation by trading for one of baseball’s best starters, No. 2 Freddy Peralta.

Mets target Freddy Peralta in trade

Peralta enjoyed a dominant campaign in 2025. The eight-year veteran put together the best season of his career, leading the National League with 17 wins while posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.075 WHIP with 204 strikeouts in 176.2 innings. He also posted career highs with a 154 ERA+ and 5.5 bVAR in 33 starts.

Peralta had a streak of 30 consecutive scoreless innings in the second half of the season. He earned his second career All-Star Game honor and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting.

The Milwaukee Brewers made the easy call and exercised Peralta’s $8 million club option for 2026. However, the team also made a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff and he accepted.

With Payroll problems loom in MilwaukeeThe Brewers want to cut costs. And the team could be motivated to move on from Peralta, who is entering the final year of his contract.

Mets trade offer for Peralta

The Brewers finished with the best record in baseball and reached the NLCS before they sweep the Dodgers. While cost-conscious, Milwaukee still wants to compete. But taking Peralta’s salary off the books and replacing him with real prospects might be the best option for the team.

The Mets should offer first baseman/outfielder Ryan Clifford (New York’s No. 8 prospect) and RHP Will Watson (No. 11).

Clifford is a 22-year-old lefty who hits for power and can play first base or in the corner outfield. He batted at Double-A in 2025 and was promoted to Triple-A where he remained. The youngster could help the Brewers’ lineup in 2026. And his versatility covers positions of need/concern for Milwaukee.

It will be a little harder to let Clifford go now that the Mets have let Alonso be a free agent. But assuming the team addresses the loss of production by signing established hitters, including Clifford in a package for Peralta, it makes sense.

Any deal for Peralta will likely have to include a young pitcher. If the Brewers’ righty had been under team control at a reasonable price for a few more years, the Mets would have had to add either Sproat or Tong to the package. But for one year at $8 million, Watson seems reasonable.

The 23-year-old starter can reach the 90s on his fastball and has had success missing bats with his changeup and slider. Watson played at three different levels in 2025 and posted an impressive strikeout rate at each. He finished the year in Double-A. And while he’s growing fast, he could be another season away from the bigs.

Prospectus no. 14 Jonathan Santucci is also an option for inclusion in a trade package. However, he is one of the few promising lefties in the Mets organization. So, ideally, New York would keep him around.

Everyone wins

With the Brewers looking to shed salary, moving Peralta ahead of the final year of his contract makes sense. Milwaukee could add two promising prospects to keep costs low and continue to compete for years to come. And Clifford could help the team defend the division crown in 2026.

The Mets would add near the top of the rotation at a reasonable salary. And they would have the inside scoop to sign him for the long haul if everything worked out as expected.

Peralta is a durable and reliable starter – exactly what the Mets have been missing from their memorable 2025 campaign. He has thrown over 165 innings and had at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last three years.

With a big investment in the lineup, the Mets can’t let starting pitching sink the 2026 season. Peralta could help New York provide depth and consistency as the team tries to rebound from a disappointing year.