Mets Rumored to Be in Mix for Big-Money Starter This Winter

The New York Mets are gearing up for an aggressive offseason overhaul of their starting rotation, determined to avoid a repeat of the pitching shortages that sidelined them from playoff contention this year.

Despite a promising trio of young arms in Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Nolan McLean, president of baseball operations David Stearns and owner Steve Cohen are prioritizing the addition of proven, experienced starters to anchor the staff.

The Mets’ collapse down the stretch stemmed largely from a depleted rotation, leaving manager Carlos Mendoza with few reliable options. With nearly every contender scouring the market for arms, competition will be fierce.

Trades emerge as a viable path, even if they demand surrendering multiple high-end prospects—a price teams increasingly accept in pursuit of immediate impact.

Stearns and Cohen have repeatedly signaled their singular focus: delivering a World Series to Queens. That win-now mandate leads former MLB general manager Jim Bowden to pinpoint Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta as an ideal target.

“Peralta is coming off the best year of his career as he’s really figured out how to use and mix his dominant stuff,” Bowden wrote. “Fastball Freddy held opposing batters to a .209 average against his four-seamer, .173 against his changeup, .183 against his curveball and .157 against his slider. He’s a true top-of-the-rotation ace at age 29. There will be plenty of interest in him on the trade market, with the Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Angels, Astros, Giants, Padres and Tigers all likely to inquire on him.”

Peralta’s breakout 2024 season—marked by elite swing-and-miss rates across his four-pitch arsenal—positions him as a durable, high-upside ace entering his age-29 campaign. His contract, carrying just $8 million in 2025 before a club option for 2026, represents remarkable value for a pitcher of his caliber.

For the Mets, acquiring Peralta would instantly elevate the rotation without ballooning payroll significantly. The Brewers, however, would almost certainly demand at least one of Tong, Sproat, or McLean in return, testing New York’s willingness to part with future assets for present contention.

The fit extends beyond next season. Landing Peralta early in the winter would grant the Mets a window to negotiate a long-term extension, securing a cornerstone arm through his prime years.

In a market starved for reliable starting pitching, such opportunities rarely come cheaply—but for a franchise hell-bent on ending a decades-long championship drought, Peralta could prove the difference between rebuilding and contending.