Mets Ace Declared Trade Candidate if Team Continues to Struggle

The Mets may be forced to part with their prized offseason acquisition if their season continues to go south.

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's getting late early for the New York Mets.

Currently on an 11-game losing streak and saddled with the worst record in baseball, it would not be an exaggeration that the Mets' upcoming nine-game homestand can decide their fate. New York will host the Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals over the next ten days, with all three of these opponents expected to be weak squads. If New York can't get right during this stretch, they might not get right at all.

Getting Juan Soto back in the second game of that homestand will absolutely help, but the Mets will need more than just him if they want to snap out of their horrible slump. The collective struggles of other key contributors like Francisco Lindor and Bo Bichette have made the lineup MLB's worst in the early going, while the starting rotation and bullpen are collapsing under the pressure of having to be essentially perfect without run support.

If the team shows legitimate signs of life during this homestand, perhaps they can catch fire and get back into the race. But if the Mets continue to struggle, they may have no choice but to sell off valuable pieces and try again next year. One of those valuable pieces would be especially painful for the Mets to give up, considering how much they sacrificed to land him in the first place.

MLB Insider Names Mets' Freddy Peralta as Possible Trade Candidate

Apr 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches in the first inning against the Athletics at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It may be very early in the 2026 season, but that didn't stop ESPN's David Schoenfield from creating a trade deadline preview for all 30 teams. In addition to listing trade candidates, Schoenfield included "if all goes wrong" candidates for expected playoff contenders, with one of them being the Mets.

Schoenfield's initial trade candidate was promising starting pitcher Jonah Tong, but this was likely in the event of the Mets choosing to buy. If everything goes wrong (which it is so far) and the Mets end up selling, newly acquired ace Freddy Peralta was suggested as a trade piece, along with fellow starter Clay Holmes (who has a $12 million player option for 2027).

Jonah Tong is the most likely Mets player to be traded at the MLB trade deadline, said ESPN writer David Schoenfield.

Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes are also viewed as other potential trade candidates if the struggle in New York continues. pic.twitter.com/kpV7pJQuy8

— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) April 20, 2026

On one hand, Peralta would be a logical trade chip because he will become a free agent this coming winter. However, it would be devastating for the Mets if they needed to trade him because the price to even get Peralta in the first place was costly. Back in January, the Mets needed to part with top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to get both Peralta and Tobias Myers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Because of that steep price tag, New York would need to aim for a similar haul if they try to trade the 29-year-old righty. But other buyers may be hesitant to do so considering Peralta's status as a rental. Peralta has also gotten off to a mixed start with New York; his 4.05 ERA isn't bad, but he has only completed six innings once in his first five starts. Due to a lack of length and dominance on Peralta's part, it would be fair to say that Nolan McLean has already surpassed him as the Mets' No. 1 option.

Mets starters' ERAs through 22 games:

1️⃣ Clay Holmes (1.96) 🔥
2️⃣ Nolan McLean (2.28) 🔥
3️⃣ Freddy Peralta (4.05)
4️⃣ David Peterson (5.40)
5️⃣ Kodai Senga (8.83)

H/T - @LockedOnMets pic.twitter.com/PKa32WjS9Z

— Mets Batflip (@metsbatflip1) April 21, 2026

Of course, it's still April, so talking about buying or selling at the trade deadline would normally be extremely premature. But because of how terrible of a predicament the Mets have put themselves in, their season could already be on life support by the time May begins. In that case, they may be forced to send their crowned jewel of the offseason to a contender, although they can still pursue a reunion with Peralta in free agency before the 2027 season.

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