Since being dealt to the New York Mets in the offseason, Freddy Peralta has brought the same characteristics he displayed with the Milwaukee Brewers to his new team. That joyfulness, leadership, and overall positive energy have carried over. On Friday, Peralta made his Mets and Grapefruit League debut against the St. Louis Cardinals and did not disappoint. The right-hander struck out three batters over three perfect innings on 29 pitches (18 strikes). The final strikeout came on an originally called ball that was overturned by the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system.
Freddy Peralta to Start on Opening Day for Mets
The same day Freddy Peralta made his Mets debut, manager Carlos Mendoza announced that the 29-year-old would be the club’s Opening Day starter on March 26 against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field.
“The same reaction that I had in previous years,” Peralta said of his response to the news. “Excited, it feels like a commitment for me and my family to be able to get the ball on the first day.”
Asked whether he has had any extension talks with the Mets this spring, Peralta grinned and replied: “No comment.”
But all signs point in that direction.
“I can say that everything has been amazing,” Peralta said. “Talking from the bottom to the top, the people from the office, everyone. They’ve been very easy for me, easy to work with. I feel that [the Mets] have my back.”
Peralta added that if the two sides were to reach a deal, it could be negotiated at any time, meaning Opening Day is not a firm deadline.
Freddy Peralta was perfect over three innings in his first spring training start as a Met 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eGomzYcPHD
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) February 27, 2026
Other Notes From Friday
Carson Benge showed off his defensive capabilities out in right field when he charged in and made a splendid diving catch to take a base-hit away. The 23-year-old who is vying to make the Opening Day roster also singled up the middle for his fourth knock of the spring, making him 4-for-10 early on. Shortly after, he stole second base.
MJ Melendez, another candidate to make the team out of spring training, left a mark. The left-handed hitter hit the ball hard in all three of his at-bats, two of which went for opposite-field home runs. One solo shot, the other being a three-run jack.
It’s been quite the week for the Mets’ right field competition in general. On Tuesday, veteran Mike Tauchman launched a three-run home run in his first Grapefruit League at-bat.
On Thursday, Benge went 3-for-3, and Tyrone Taylor hit a three-run home run. Enter Friday, and Melendez blasts a pair of opposite-field dingers.
Infielder Grae Kessinger, who would have been a candidate to replace Francisco Lindor on Opening Day if the latter won’t be ready on time, experienced “left knee discomfort,” according to Mendoza. Kessinger will undergo an MRI tomorrow, though ‘it didn’t look to good.”
Main Photo Credit: © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images