Cardinals Linked to Mets' Freddy Peralta, But There's a Catch

Freddy Peralta has been named a possible fit for St. Louis.

Jun 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after giving up a two out walk in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals remain in the thick of the wild card race despite a 14-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night. They still are playing much better than expected this season, and that presents some potential challenges at the trade deadline.

The Cardinals have a roster that is built to be a seller, but at the same time, they find themselves in playoff contention.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com listed 10 trade candidates and where they might end up. He had New York Mets' ace Freddy Peralta as a possible trade chip and listed the Cardinals as an option for a landing spot. However, there's a catch.

Cardinals' Freddy Peralta Link Comes with Caveat

Jun 14, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It's important to remember that the Cardinals are currently in the first year of a rebuild under Chaim Bloom. Trading for Peralta would cost them a lot of top prospects, and they simply are not in a position to part ways with the prospect capital it would take to land Peralta.

Peralta would be nothing more than a rental for St. Louis. He is a free agent at the end of the season. Trading for him would also go against everything Bloom has said about wanting to stick with the long-term plan.

"Our top priority will be to build our talent base for the long-term. That may mean hard decisions and short-term sacrifices. But to get where we want to go, we can’t take shortcuts—and we won’t," Bloom said during his introductory press conference last September.

“We will always want to win. We will hunt moves and decisions that allow us to do that right now, too. As long as they also serve our ultimate goal. But when we have to choose between short-term gratification and our bigger goal of contending consistently, we will choose the long-term.

“We will make moves with that ultimate goal in mind, because simply put, that’s where this organization needs to be.”

Trading for Peralta would be a short-term move, and it could potentially even derail the Cardinals' plans for their rebuild. Bloom has been transparent about what his goals are, and has also made it clear that he does not want to deviate from them.

Ultimately, while Peralta would help the Cardinals this year, not deviating from the plan is the right call. The Cardinals need to stay focused on the long-term goals, because that will help them eventually become a consistent postseason contender.