The New York Mets need starting pitching. They are also in need of outfield help. With the free agent market not being an attractive place to hand out long-term deals, the team should look to the trade market.
Two Trades the Mets Should Make This Offseason
1. Freddy Peralta
There is no secret that the Mets are in dire need of starting pitching. However, the club is unwilling to meet the current asking prices for the top remaining free agents. So instead, they should turn their attention to the trade market, where one name stands out: Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, who is set to enter the final year of his deal and will be owed just $8 million in 2026.
The Mets would be better off waiting until next offseason to sign either Peralta or Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal – who is at least a consensus top two pitcher in the league, instead of dishing out long-term contracts to Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, or even Zac Gallen, for that matter.
Peralta, 29, pitched to a record of 17-6 (fourth-best in the MLB), a 2.70 ERA (seventh-best), 204 strikeouts (ninth-best), and a 1.08 WHIP (13th-best). The two-time All-Star also had a career-high 5.5 WAR, which tied for the seventh-best in the league, and allowed just 53 earned runs, which is a new three-year low for him.
Top League Content
Earlier in the offseason, ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel gave Peralta a 25% chance of being moved. While many expected the Brewers to explore a deal after Brandon Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer, the club has not approached the winter that way. “If they get blown away by an offer, they won’t hesitate, but for now, the plan is to enter the year with Woodruff, Peralta, Jacob Misiorowski, and Quinn Priester anchoring the rotation,” Passan wrote.
As Passan noted, the Brewers would need to be blown away to trade him, though some executives believe the club may simply be posturing.
Of course, Peralta and the Mets already share some sense of connection, with president of baseball operations David Stearns having been part of the same organization as the right-hander for nearly seven seasons. Peralta signed with the Seattle Mariners as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. Stearns acquired the right-hander in a trade in 2015 during his time as Brewers GM.
The Mets’ rotation currently projects to be led by rookie Nolan McLean, David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, and Clay Holmes. Top prospects Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat serve as two key depth pieces, as well as Christian Scott, who is returning from Tommy John surgery and expects to be fully healthy by Spring Training.
2. Brenton Doyle
It might not be a flashy name, but Brenton Doyle would be a productive player for the Mets. While the team checked in on Kyle Tucker and has stayed connected to Cody Bellinger, neither seems likely to land in Queens. The Mets would likely need to overpay to pry Bellinger away from the Yankees, who remain their top target.
Doyle, 27, is coming off a down year in which he slashed .233/.274/.376. He hit 15 home runs and drove in 57 RBI with a .651 OPS. Though his bat slumped, Doyle remained a quality defender at a premium position in centerfield. Since his rookie season in 2023, the Shepard University product has posted 29 Defensive Runs Saved and 34 Outs Above Average. Statcast grades him with a 91st percentile range, 97th percentile arm strength, and 99th percentile overall arm value. Entering his fourth season in the big leagues, Doyle is already a two-time Gold Glove winner. If he is already playing this level of defense in perhaps the most enormous outfield in MLB, Citi Field will only be easier to navigate.
In 2024, Doyle hit .260/.317/.446 with 23 home runs and 72 RBI’s while stealing 30 bases, showing he can produce with the bat. The 27-year-old would be an improvement over Tyrone Taylor, who has spent the last two seasons as the Mets’ everyday centerfielder. The Mets have shown interest in Doyle; however, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the newly remade Rockies front office, led by president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes, is likely to hang onto Doyle rather than sell low.
Main Photo Credits: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images