Mets reportedly 'best positioned' to acquire star ace

The Brewers’ reported asking price for Freddy Peralta matches what the Mets can offer in a potential deal.

Sep 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have fallen short of expectations this offseason, remaining quiet on the free agent market. They’ve seen fan favorites Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, and Brandon Nimmo all depart this offseason, while still facing holes in a starting rotation that is in need of a major boost.

David Stearns has remained reluctant to hand out long-term contracts to players he doesn’t view as star-worthy, making a trade all the more likely. One name in particular appears to be the best fit for the Mets in Freddy Peralta, whom Stearns knows well from his time in Milwaukee.

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Peralta is coming off the best season of his career, posting a 2.70 ERA over 176.2 innings while striking out 204 batters; he ultimately finished fifth in National League Cy Young voting. Adding to his value, he also comes at a relatively low cost, earning just $8 million in the final year of his contract.

The Brewers’ asking price for Peralta has reportedly remained high all offseason, but a new report suggests the return they’re seeking fits perfectly with what the Mets could offer.

Brewers’ asking price positions Mets as best equipped to acquire Peralta

Jul 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) is greeted in the dugout after pitching six plus innings against the Washington Nationals at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

In a January 10 article, Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Brewers are looking for a young, major-league-ready arm who could step in and fill Peralta’s spot if a trade happens.

Sammon and Rosenthal go on to note that, of all the teams reportedly interested in Peralta, the Mets are the "best positioned" to make a trade. New York boasts some of the top young pitching talent in the game, including Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat, Jonah Tong, and Christian Scott — all of whom recently debuted in the majors and each once ranked among the top 100 prospects in baseball.

The Athletic also notes that the Mets could likely swing a trade without parting with McLean, who is the standout of their pitching prospects and an early favorite for NL Rookie of the Year following his impressive debut last season. Losing Sproat or Tong would be a tough pill to swallow, but with Peralta entering his prime and the Mets chasing a World Series title, they may have to make that tough call to push the needle.

New York's current rotation consists of McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, and David Peterson. After seeing the collapse that this same rotation had last year, it's hard to fathom Stearns going into next season with the exact same group.

If the Mets were able to acquire Peralta and pair him with a promising young arm like McLean to lead the rotation, the team’s chances of making a return to the postseason would look far brighter.

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