Signing Pitcher Long-Term Should be on Mets' Wish List Before Season

Should the New York Mets sign this pitcher to a long-term deal?

Dec 12, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; New York Mets general manager David Stearns speaks to the media during a Juan Soto introductory press conference at Citi Field. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With the start of spring training starting to creep up for the New York Mets, the team has had a great last week in terms of making upgrades to the roster. However, there are still some things they might look to accomplish.

Following a very concerning start to the winter, the Mets have really been able to turn things around of late. While there has undoubtedly been a lot of panic among New York fans following the departure of some key players and the team being relatively quiet in the immediate aftermath, they have flipped the script over the last week.

The new additions of Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. not only allowed the lineup to take shape, but help circumvent some of the previous personnel losses. However, while both of those additions filled needs both at the plate and in the field, getting an ace for the starting rotation always seemed like the most important thing for the team this winter. In a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, they were able to accomplish that with the addition of Freddy Peralta.

Extending Freddy Peralta Would Cap Off Nice Winter

Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The addition of the star right-hander was a strong move that helped the Mets shore up their Achilles heel. One of the top reasons why the team missed the playoffs in 2025 was the struggles of the starting rotation, and adding Peralta should help with that. Having an ace at the top of the unit should help them avoid some of the extended struggles that the team had last year.

However, one of the reasons why Peralta was on the trade block in the first place is because he is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. As such, in a January 23 article on Bleacher Report, Zachary D. Rymer considered a contract extension for Peralta to be one of the Mets' biggest "wish list" items before the start of the season.

"As to Peralta, that he's only signed through this season is the downside of the blockbuster trade that landed him in New York on Wednesday," Rymer wrote. "An extension would merely be the latest flex by Steve Cohen."

Read More: Mets Rightfully Receive Strong Grade for Freddy Peralta Trade

In 2025, Peralta was in the National League Cy Young conversation, totaling a 17-6 record and 2.70 ERA. The right-hander does a good job making batters swing and miss, and the Mets will be happy to have him lead their rotation and perhaps take some pressure off their other arms.

While the price wasn’t cheap to acquire him, the icing on the cake for the team this winter would be to sign him to an extension. Parting ways with Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams was undoubtedly a steep price, but that blow would be softened by keeping Peralta around long-term.

With Peralta reportedly willing to discuss an extension, getting a deal done would behoove the team. The All-Star has been very good over the last couple of years, and his emergence as an ace would make him a good anchor of the staff going forward.

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