Motivated Mets Could Complicate Yankees Freddy Peralta Pursuit

The landscape of baseball may have gotten more treacherous with the Los Angeles Dodgers signing Kyle Tucker to a mega deal, but the New York Yankees still have a job to do, and that's improve the roster from last year. They were never truly in on the star slugger, so there is no sting there, and they have consistently set their sights on the same players. One of those players is Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees continue to keep tabs on the Brewers, seeing if they will eventually deal their veteran ace. It's the place the Brewers have been in in the recent past, when they dealt Scott Boras mega-client, Corbin Burnes, to the Orioles, knowing he would be looking for a big payday.

Mar 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"The Mets and Yankees have checked on Freddy Peralta, with the growing belief the Brewers will trade their ace," Heyman writes for the New York Post. "Peralta's puny $8M salary makes him attractive to anyone, including small-market teams, but other teams linked to him thus far include the Dodgers, Giants, and Braves. Peralta has approached the Brewers about an extension. But the smallest-market team prefers to avoid huge deals for pitchers."

No Boras to Complicate Matters

The difference between Peralta and Burnes, though, is that their latest ace is actually looking for an extension. It's the one thing those Boras clients generally don't seek. The rare case was Jered Weaver, but with his personality, he was the outlier of outliers.

Peralta, though, who is making $8 million this year, which is a mere pittance for a pitcher of his caliber, is represented by ACES. If he is looking for a deal before heading into free agency, this can be an intriguing gamble for the Yankees.

The lack of Boras alone is charming enough for a Brian Cashman-led front office that has dealt with the mega agent all winter. Whatever the Yankees pay for Peralta will be well worth the price of admission if they land him and sign him long-term.

Baseball Agent Scott Bora — Jan 15, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Scott Boras watches as Alex Bergman is introduced as a new Cubs player at a press conference at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Mets vs. Yankees for Peralta?

Of course, as Heyman mentioned, they will have stiff competition. Unlike the Yankees, the Mets were in the running for Kyle Tucker and probably feel jilted right about now. They may have an extra incentive to land Peralta now.

The question becomes whether they will deal from their triumvirate of top pitching prospects in Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat. If that's the case, the Yankees may stand no chance there.

Sep 24, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jonah Tong (21) reacts during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

It's not to say that Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodriguez, and Ben Hess aren't valuable in a Peralta bidding war. What the Mets could offer is simply more appealing. Plus, their trio is slightly battle-tested, as they all held it down to some degree on the sinking ship that was the 2025 Mets.

Making Good with an Angry Fanbase

For as challenging a position as the Yankees are in, the Mets are in an even deeper hole with their fans. It may not seem possible, but consider that the Mets lost a bevvy of favorites this winter. They lost Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz in free agency. Then, they dealt both Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil.

Oct 14, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) looks on from the dugout in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While yes, this does open them up financially, it was also the core of their team, and four of the six top fan favorites are all gone. A Mets team that may have been frugal in dealing its top prospects in the past could be feeling the pressure and changing its approach.

The Yankees, on the other hand, will not budge. They will never up the ante more than they believe they should in terms of prospect capital in a trade, and in the case of Cody Bellinger, what they offer him won't change, outside of an opt-out here or there.

For now, it's a matter of which borough will blink if Peralta does become available.

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