Freddy Peralta was supposed to start for the Mets Friday, one last showcase before Monday's deadline. Instead he got pulled, and in trade-deadline math, a scratch is never just a scratch. It's a team protecting an asset it thinks it's about to move.
The scouting presence wasn't subtle. The Padres and Diamondbacks reportedly had eyes on Peralta's last outing at Citi Field, and both have obvious motives. San Diego's rotation options thin out fast behind Michael King and Walker Buehler, and Arizona has been gutted by injuries to Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and others, forcing the Diamondbacks to lean on rookies while they scrap for a Wild Card spot. Peralta, a pending free agent, is the kind of rental both front offices can afford to overpay for without long-term risk.
None of this is happening because Peralta's been dominant. He's carrying a 4.99 ERA across 22 starts this year, by far the worst mark of his career, and he's striking out fewer than a batter an inning for the first time since he became a full-time starter. But his fastball still sits around 94 mph and the underlying stuff metrics say the arm hasn't broken down, just the results. That combination, mediocre year plus intact stuff plus expiring contract, is exactly the profile a contender takes a flier on in August.
He’s now scratched, a sign interest is legit now
Jon Heyman's read lines up with what the Mets actually did. Mark Feinsand went a step further, lumping Peralta in with Casey Mize as pitchers pulled from turns specifically because their teams don't want to risk an injury or a bad final line torpedoing a deal that's close.
The Mets have now scratched Freddy Peralta, joining Casey Mize of the Tigers in the “in case he gets traded” club.
The most interesting subplot is the Craig Counsell angle. Peralta spent 2018 through 2023 pitching for Counsell in Milwaukee, developing into an All-Star under him before Counsell left for Chicago on the richest managerial deal in league history. Ken Rosenthal flagged a potential reunion as a real possibility, on top of the Padres and Diamondbacks conversations already in motion.
Peralta-Counsell reunion an intriguing possibility. Mets also talking to other clubs. Story with @PJ_Mooney and @WillSammon, unlocked and free to read. https://t.co/Ko9NWQFuGN
Whatever uniform Peralta ends up in, the bigger story is what it says about the Mets. Scratching a projected starter days before the deadline is a franchise all but announcing it's selling, not just shopping. With Monday's cutoff bearing down, expect the price on Peralta to keep moving as San Diego, Arizona and whoever else is circling try to close before the window shuts.