Freddy Peralta is eager to join the Mets and meet the high expectations and pressure that comes with pitching in New York.
Whether he’ll call it home after this year, however, remains to be seen.
Peralta, the new anchor of the Mets rotation after being acquired in a trade with the Brewers last week, arrives in Queens with a year left before his release.
But when asked about the possibilities of signing a contract extension, the right-hander sidestepped the idea.
“I just got here,” he said during an introductory Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday. “I think I’ve had to look around, I have to share time with my teammates and think about different ideas, learn about everyone, coaches, the organization in general and then we can see.”
David Stearns declined to comment last week on whether an extension had been discussed with Peralta, but the president of baseball operations indicated the transaction was made with the understanding it could only be a short-term relationship.
Still, this is now the second time Stearns has traded for Peralta – the first when he was acquired by the Brewers as a 19-year-old – which the now 29-year-old right-hander acknowledged “says a lot.”
This time, Stearns adds Peralta to the rotation as an established, high-end pitcher – costing Mets prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat – which should boost their chances heading into 2026.
“I am very excited to be here in New York and represent the New York Mets organization,” said Peralta. “It’s a different market [than Milwaukee]a different city, there are a lot more fans, a lot more people watching. Honestly, I like the competition we face here. I’ve been there for years and I’ve been looking at what it’s like to be part of that big-market team for years. I’m excited to be part of the team and I can’t wait.”
Peralta, a two-time All-Star, pitched a 2.70 ERA over 33 starts with 204 strikeouts in a career-high 176 ²/₃ innings last season.
It was the third straight season in which he made more than 30 starts, a testament to a durability he said was the “most important” thing for him.
And while pitching in Milwaukee and the NL Central isn’t the same as pitching in Queens and the NL East, Peralta has also made nine playoff appearances, which he believes should prepare him for his new opportunity.
“I think it will help a lot because the play is a different level during the playoffs,” he said. “I think New York is probably at the same level – every game feels like that. I remember opening day in 2025 against the Yankees, that’s what it felt like. I felt the same and it was crazy, the atmosphere and everything, the energy of the fans. Even on the first day I felt that. I think that’s going to feel [like it] every five days in New York.”
The Dominican Republic native — who said he was still unsure whether he would compete in the WBC this spring due to “personal reasons” — said he was looking forward to pitching to a strong Latin American community that New York has to offer.
“There is a huge challenge ahead of me because I know what we are like, the Latinos. I know we have that in us, that hunger to win every time.” I think I’m going to see that as a challenge to get better, to feel better, to get better every five days, to do my best and to make adjustments faster. I know the people there think the same way I do: we just want to win. That’s what I’m going to work for, to get better and be ready for that.”
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