Rays acquire 2-time All-Star RHP Peralta from Mets for trio of prospects

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays made a potentially impactful addition to their starting rotation on the eve of the Trade Deadline, acquiring right-hander Freddy Peralta from the Mets on Sunday afternoon.

Tampa Bay had been connected to Tarik Skubal, the top available starter ahead of Monday’s Trade Deadline, before he wound up with the Dodgers. The Rays instead leveraged the incredible depth of their farm system to land Peralta, arguably the most intriguing rental starter remaining on the market.

The Rays sent the Mets three Minor Leaguers who were ranked among their Top 30 Prospects, according to MLB Pipeline: outfielder Aidan Smith (Rays' No. 15 prospect), right-hander Gary Gill Hill (No. 26) and infielder Émilien Pitre (No. 27). The clubs officially announced the deal during the Rays’ 9-1 loss to the White Sox at Tropicana Field.

“We’re excited to welcome Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays,” president of baseball operations Erik Neander said in a statement. “Freddy is a proven Major League starter with high-stakes experience and a strong track record. Adding a pitcher and competitor of his caliber strengthens our team as we push forward.”

TRADE DETAILS

Rays get: RHP Freddy Peralta
Mets get: OF Aidan Smith, RHP Gary Gill Hill, INF Émilien Pitre

Peralta, 30, is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. He is making $8 million this year, so it is a relatively small financial commitment for the Rays (65-46) to absorb. And they may not be done, as they have been active in their pursuits to upgrade a roster that has put together the best record in the American League.

A polarizing trade candidate if ever there was one, Peralta joined the Mets in January for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat after spending parts of eight seasons with the Brewers. At the time, the deal seemed like a coup for the Mets, who were in desperate need of an ace. Peralta certainly had the resume to qualify, having made two All-Star teams and pitched to a 3.59 ERA over 211 appearances in Milwaukee.

Just last season, Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 5.5 Wins Above Replacement in 176 2/3 innings over 33 starts for the Brewers.

But Peralta did not start strong for the Mets, and things only worsened from there. From May 23 through July 20, he produced a 6.67 ERA over 11 starts, dampening his trade value. Overall, he was 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for New York.

At his best, “Fastball Freddy” is capable of throwing in the upper 90s with his four-seamer while supplementing it with five other pitches. But Peralta has rarely been that pitcher this season. He's lost velocity off his fastball, which he now throws roughly half the time, as well as some of the signature extension that gave hitters even less time to react. His strikeout rate is way down; his walks are up.

But Peralta insists the raw materials of an ace are still there, and clearly the Rays were confident enough to give up three well-regarded prospects to acquire him.

Smith, a strong defensive center fielder currently with High-A Bowling Green, was part of Tampa Bay’s return for Randy Arozarena two years ago. Pitre is a solid defensive second baseman who’s slashing .308/.438/.447 between High-A and Double-A Montgomery this season. And Gill Hill has consistently taken the ball and put up solid numbers as a starting pitching prospect, though he was one of many notable Tampa Bay prospects facing Rule 5 Draft eligibility this offseason.

It was a price worth paying for the Rays, who are adding another proven arm to one of the Majors’ best rotations this season.

The starting staff is led by 2026 All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan (who is currently on the injured list due to a minor back issue) and converted reliever Griffin Jax, and they’ve received solid contributions in the fifth spot from starter/bulk-innings reliever Ian Seymour.

McClanahan’s back injury created an immediate opening in Tampa Bay’s rotation, which will come around Tuesday at Coors Field. But it also served as a reminder that the Rays must protect their starters, especially those who are facing workload restrictions, as they enter the final weeks of a division race -- and, ideally, a run through October.