Mets' Freddy Peralta Addresses Decision to Skip World Baseball Classic

New York Mets fans can't wait to see what new ace Freddy Peralta will bring to the table for the team during the 2026 season.

Mets President of Baseball Operations acquired Peralta (and right-handed reliever Tobias Myers) from the Milwaukee Brewers last month in exchange for top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams. This stemmed from Stearns' stance that New York needed another ace-caliber starter to pair with Nolan McLean at the top of their rotation.

And Peralta is not only expected to be a force on the mound, but his charismatic personality and proven leadership pedigree should work wonders in the Mets' clubhouse, especially when it comes to mentoring the team's young pitchers like McLean and Jonah Tong.

New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Freddy Peralta Explains Reason for Skipping 2026 World Baseball Classic

New York's front office probably assumed Peralta wouldn't be wearing a Mets jersey when he made his first meaningful pitching appearance in 2026. This is because the World Baseball Classic is on the horizon, and the expectation was that Peralta would be pitching for his home country, the Dominican Republic.

However, Peralta revealed earlier this month that he wasn't going to compete for the Dominican Republic in this year's WBC. And he explained why during a February 26 interview with John Sang.

“In reality, I prepared for this all offseason and was fully ready to go. But there are circumstances and situations that are completely out of your control. In this case, I had to make a tough decision, and I truly believe it was the right one. I talked it through with my family and a few people I’m really close with. In the end, it came down to what was best overall," Peralta said in translated Spanish, per an X post from Master Flip (@Masterflip_).

"It hurts a lot, more than a lot of people realize. Passing up the chance to represent your country, especially with the incredible team we have, isn’t easy. You never know if you’ll get another shot in the coming years, or if we’ll even win it all. Opportunities like that don’t come around often, and turning one down weighs heavily on you," Peralta continued.

"But sometimes you have to make hard choices for your future and your family’s well-being," he concluded.

Freddy Peralta on the tough call to skip the chance to rep team DR in the WBC;

(Written and translated by Master Flip)

“In reality, I prepared for this all offseason and was fully ready to go. But there are circumstances and situations that are completely out of your control.… pic.twitter.com/XpeNgruLEA
— Master Flip 🇩🇴 (@Masterflip_) February 26, 2026

Peralta's comments suggest that he wanted to perform for the Dominican Republic but was unable to. This probably means Peralta will be even more eager when the Mets' Opening Day arrives.

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