Freddy Peralta Trade Grades: Rays Move Quickly After Missing Out on Tarik Skubal

How did the Rays and Mets fare in their trade deadline blockbuster for Freddy Peralta?

The Mets dealt Freddy Peralta to the Rays at the MLB trade deadline | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Rays may have missed out on Tarik Skubal, but the organization didn’t balk at the chance to upgrade its starting pitching rotation before the MLB trade deadline. According to multiple reports, Tampa Bay agreed to acquire Freddy Peralta from the Mets on Sunday.

Peralta was only just acquired by the Mets this offseason, but he struggled after arriving in Queens. With New York sitting 18 games below .500, the team opted to deal him at the deadline after just 22 starts in a Mets uniform. This season, Peralta owns a 4.99 ERA with 113 strikeouts against 48 walks in 113 2/3 innings. It’s a major fall-off from the success he experienced in Milwaukee, when he logged a 2.70 ERA, struck out 204 batters and won 17 games in ‘25.

In exchange for Peralta, the Mets will receive a trio of minor-league players, none of whom ranked inside the Rays’ top 10 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. The deal sends outfielder Aidan Smith, right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill and infielder Émilien Pitre to New York.

Let’s grade the trade:

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays didn’t sacrifice too much of their farm to acquire Peralta, though they’ll be betting on him to return to form in a new environment for this trade to truly be considered a win.

Peralta has the talent to be a front-line starter, even if that wasn’t always on display with the Mets. Though he struggles to pitch deep into games at times and isn’t the most efficient pitcher, he owned a 3.30 ERA and a 10.9 K/9 across 139 starts (141 appearances) for the Brewers from 2021 to ‘25. It was a disappointing spell with the Mets for Peralta, but he will join a loaded rotation in Tampa Bay where he’ll be under less pressure to perform. The Rays’ rotation already consists of Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez. Adding Peralta to that arsenal of starting pitching arguably gives the Rays the best pitching staff in the American League.

Peralta is only owed roughly $2.4 million for the remainder of the ‘26 season before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. That’s not a steep price to pay for a pitcher with his upside, and there’s hardly an organization in all of MLB better equipped to help Peralta get back on track than Tampa Bay.

The Rays offloaded their Nos. 15, 26 and 27 prospects to the Mets in order to upgrade their rotation with Peralta, according to MLB Pipeline. Acquiring Peralta for just one prospect ranking inside the team’s top 25 is a solid move, and the Rays maintain the firepower to add even more talent come Monday’s deadline.

Grade: B

New York Mets

The Mets received a solid haul of prospects in exchange for Peralta, though they traded far more to acquire him (and Tobias Myers) from the Brewers in January when they offloaded their top two prospects in pitcher Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams. It was clear things weren’t working out for Peralta in Queens, and rather than let him leave for nothing in the offseason, the Mets were able to get some talent back.

Smith, 22, was the headlining prospect in Sunday’s trade. Currently at High A, Smith owns a .693 OPS with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 49 games. He’s not too exciting at the plate, but he’s a highly-rated fielder who has a strong arm and the range to play center field in MLB. New York also landed Gill Hill, who is still just 21 years old and currently pitching at Double A. He’s impressed in the minor leagues and projects as a future starter in MLB. He boasts excellent control, as he’s issued just 14 walks in 81 1/3 innings at Double A this season, striking out 61 hitters in that span while logging a 4.43 ERA. He has a solid four-pitch mix including a fastball that can reach 97 mph.

Pitre is another intriguing prospect who could be ready to debut in MLB late next season. He’s been lighting it up at the plate at Double A, recording a .943 OPS with impressive plate discipline––30 walks against 17 strikeouts in 37 games. He’s a solid fielder and a good baserunner, though he doesn’t hit for much power.

It’s a decent return for the Mets, but they’d have ultimately been better off staying away last offseason, as opposed to parting ways with Sproat and Williams. Still, for a season that quickly spiraled out of control, getting three prospects back for Peralta isn’t too shabby.

Grade: C+

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