NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The first-place Tampa Bay Rays gave their starting rotation a boost Sunday, acquiring pitcher Freddy Peralta from the struggling New York Mets for three minor leaguers.
Peralta, a two-time All-Star who can become a free agent this fall, has been after they acquired him from Milwaukee in a January trade.
鈥淗e gave us everything that he had, stepped out on the mound every single day and competed,鈥� interim Mets manager Andy Green said. 鈥淚 know he wanted better results. And I think when we struck the deal to get him, we were all hoping for a different set of circumstances on this day than what we鈥檙e looking at.鈥�
Green said Peralta was informed of the trade during the early innings of that dropped the Mets to 47-66 鈥� their worst record through 113 games since 2003, the last time New York finished last in the NL East.
But Peralta could help a strong pitching staff with the Rays, who began the day with the best record in the American League at 65-45 and a 3 1/2-game lead in the AL East over the New York Yankees.
鈥淔reddy is a proven major league starter with high-stakes experience and a strong track record,鈥� Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander said in a statement. 鈥淎dding a pitcher and competitor of his caliber strengthens our team as we push forward.鈥�
The last-place Mets received outfielder Aidan Smith, infielder 脡milien Pitre and right-hander Gary Gill Hill in exchange for Peralta. Pitre was a second-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2024 draft while Hill was a sixth-round pick in 2022. Smith was picked in the fourth round of the 2023 draft by the Seattle Mariners, who sent him the Rays in the Randy Arozarena trade in July 2024.
The move came a day before at 6 p.m. EDT on Monday, and hours after the Los Angeles Dodgers landed the biggest prize on the market, in a deal with
Before joining the Mets last offseason, Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA over 33 starts in 2025. He led the National League in wins, finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting and helped the Brewers win their third straight NL Central crown.
With the Rays, the 30-year-old right-hander joins a rotation headed by All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez. Left-hander Shane McClanahan, an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, is 9-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 20 starts but was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with mid-back tightness on his left side.
Last winter, New York sent youngsters Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Brewers for Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers, giving up a pair of players rated among the game鈥檚 top 100 prospects in the anticipation Peralta would be the frontline starter the team needed.
Instead, he went 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts and failed to complete five innings in four of his last five outings for the Mets.
鈥淚 know he鈥檚 disappointed by it,鈥� Green said. 鈥淗e came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that. I know from talking to him he certainly doesn鈥檛 feel like it went the way that he thought it would.鈥�
He was 5-5 with a 3.90 ERA after beating Atlanta 8-1 on June 14, but is 0-4 with a 7.93 ERA in his past seven starts, including a and 10 hits over 2 2/3 innings at Philadelphia.
鈥淚 know that so far I let them down,鈥� Peralta said late last month. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 (done) what I was supposed to do.鈥�
Peralta becomes the latest pitcher traded away by the high-priced Mets, who are selling off assets for young prospects after beginning a miserable 2026 season with World Series aspirations.
鈥淚 think where we are today screams that we鈥檙e all wishing we were in a different spot,鈥� said Green, who began the season as the Mets鈥� vice president of player development before moving into the manager鈥檚 chair following the firing of Carlos Mendoza on June 26.
They for minor league infielder Cole Mathis one day before Mendoza鈥檚 dismissal and for minor league infielders Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick last Friday.
Peterson and Minter are eligible for free agency after this season as well. New York also is expected to move pitcher Clay Holmes, reliever Brooks Raley and outfielder Tyrone Taylor before Monday鈥檚 deadline 鈥� and possibly players such as relievers Huascar Brazob谩n and Luke Weaver, each of whom are under team control next year.
Holmes, who broke his right fibula on May 15, made a rehab start for Single-A Brooklyn Sunday, when he allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Raley, Weaver and Brazob谩n all threw a hitless inning of relief while Taylor pinch-ran in the ninth inning.
鈥淭hose guys were all healthy, rested, available, good to go,鈥� Green said. 鈥淪o we felt comfortable letting them do what they do during a baseball season.鈥�
To open a spot for Peralta on the 40-man roster, Rays outfielder Jake Fraley (hernia) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
___
AP MLB:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
