Inside The Mets

Freddy Peralta Admits 'Surprised' Mets First Impression

Freddy Peralta has addressed his first few days as a member of the New York Mets.
Milwaukee Brewers Freddy Peralta talks to the media
Milwaukee Brewers Freddy Peralta talks to the media | Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Mets didn't just trade for Freddy Peralta because they needed another ace to pair with Nolan McLean at the top of their rotation.

That was a huge factor in President of Baseball Operations David Stearns doing so, of course. But the Mets needed a leader on the pitching staff and in the clubhouse just as much as they needed another proven producer on the mound, and Peralta fits that mold seamlessly.

Read more: Tobias Myers' Verdict on Freddy Peralta's Leadership Speaks Volumes

However, a pitcher moving to a completely new team is easier said than done. Peralta had spent his entire professional career in the Brewers' organization, and making a transition after that long can be difficult.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts on October 14, 2025
Oct 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) reacts after giving up a solo home run to Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez (not pictured) in the second inning during game two of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Because of this, it's important that Peralta feels welcomed and in the loop with his new club in terms of both baseball matters and clubhouse camaraderie.

Freddy Peralta Gets Honest About Mets Arrival

Peralta spoke with Mike Puma of the New York Post for a February 9 article and spoke about how his first two days in the Mets' Port St. Lucie spring training facility have gone.

“When I got over here, they knew all my stuff and a lot of things that I got surprised by, but that’s good,” Peralta said when speaking about all the information the Mets have provided him since he arrived in Port St. Lucie.

He also added, “It’s been very comfortable, because they have been asking me how I do things and how I do my stuff, what I have been doing and we just communicate all that. We have been working together. It’s not like, ‘We have this new idea, and I think you can do this now.’ It’s been very nice and easy. I feel happy about that because they are not trying to change somebody. They are just trying to communicate and it will help to keep me doing what I have been doing.”

Peralta also addressed his welcome in New York's clubhouse, saying, “I know a lot of guys here and we’ve never played together, but we have been seeing each other during the season and we’ve been playing many times and it’s awesome, man. I have been getting a lot of love from everybody.”

It will be fun to see how Peralta acclimates to the Mets' roster and whether the clubhouse molds itself to his charismatic personality.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.