Rays Acquire Two-Time All-Star Right-Handed Pitcher Freddy Peralta from Mets

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in exchange for three minor league players: right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill, outfielder Aidan Smith, and infielder Émilien Pitre. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Jake Fraley (hernia) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

“We’re excited to welcome Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays,” said Rays President, Baseball Operations Erik Neander. “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.”

Peralta, 30, has gone 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA (113.2 IP, 63 ER), 113 strikeouts, 48 walks, and a .264 (120-for-455) opponent batting average over 22 starts for the Mets this season. He has tossed four quality starts, three of which have come against American League (AL) opponents, and allowed three runs or fewer in 15 of his 22 outings. Peralta has limited opponents to a 5.2 percent barrel rate, the fifth-lowest clip among qualified major league pitchers behind Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (3.0 pct.), San Francisco’s Landon Roupp (4.2 pct.), Toronto’s Dylan Cease (4.8 pct.), and Cleveland’s Parker Messick (4.9 pct.).

The Moca, Dominican Republic native was acquired by the Mets from the Milwaukee Brewers on Jan. 21, 2026, alongside right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers in exchange for right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams. He spent his first eight seasons with the Brewers from 2018-25, earning All-Star selections in 2025 and 2021. The right-hander earned a fifth-place finish in NL Cy Young Award voting and an All-MLB Second Team nod in the former season after leading the Senior Circuit in wins (17) and ranking fourth in ERA (2.70).

From 2023-25, Peralta joined Dylan Cease as the only pitchers in the majors to tally 200 strikeouts or more in all three seasons. The three 200-strikeout campaigns are tied with Mario Soto for third most by a Dominican-born pitcher in MLB history, behind Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez (nine) and Juan Marichal (six). Since the start of 2023, he ranks among MLB leaders in strikeouts (third, 727), starts (tied for third, 117), and wins (tied for fifth, 45). Only Cease (827) and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (754) have more strikeouts than Peralta in that span, and only San Francisco’s Logan Webb (119) and Cease (118) have made more starts.

In 233 career major league appearances, including 184 starts, Peralta has gone 75-51 with a 3.74 ERA, 1,266 strikeouts, 408 walks, and a 1.17 WHIP. The 1,266 punchouts are second most among active Dominican-born pitchers behind Chicago-AL’s Luis Castillo (1,579).

Gill Hill, the Rays No. 26 prospect (MLB.com), has made a combined 20 appearances, all starts, between Double-A Montgomery (15 starts) and Class-A Bowling Green (five starts). He has pitched to a 7-3 record with a 4.49 ERA (108.1 IP, 54 ER), and 87 strikeouts. Gill Hill was selected by the club in the sixth round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.

Pitre, a second-round selection by the Rays in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, is currently slashing .308/.438/.447 (93-for-302) with 19 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 46 RBI, 70 walks, and 32 stolen bases over 88 games between Double-A Montgomery (37 games) and Class-A Bowling Green (51 games). The Rays No. 27 prospect (MLB.com), Pitre leads Southern League hitters (min. 120 at-bats) in on-base percentage (.451), ranks third in average (.323), and is sixth in OPS (.943).

Smith, the Rays No. 15 prospect (MLB.com), was acquired from the Mariners on July 26, 2024, along with right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later (right-handed pitcher Ty Cummings; Oct. 4, 2024) in exchange for outfielder Randy Arozarena. The 18-year-old is hitting .209 (49-for-235) with seven doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, and 40 RBI across 59 games between Class-A Bowling Green (49 games), Class-A Charleston (three games), and the FCL Rays (seven games).