Freddy Peralta gushes over Mets fans after mixed debut in win over Pirates

Right-handed ace Freddy Peralta didn't enjoy quite the official New York Mets debut he hoped for on Thursday afternoon, but he did enough to help the club earn an 11-7 Opening Day home win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Following his mixed outing, Peralta showered members of the Mets faithful who made the trip to Citi Field with praise. 

Freddy Peralta loved the energy from Mets fans in home debut

"The energy from the first pitch to the last one, you can feel it," Peralta explained, per John Flanigan of SNY. "It was amazing. I think personally it’s something that helps me to get better. I can’t wait to see it that same way the rest of the season." 

As Mike Puma of the New York Post noted, Pittsburgh's Brandon Lowe took Peralta deep for a two-run home run in the game's first inning. Lowe later hit a solo shot in the third. 

"I don’t see the first one as a mistake, but it’s part of the game," Peralta said of Lowe's homers. "The other one, yeah, it was a mistake."

With some help from Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz, Peralta's teammates picked him up by producing five runs in the bottom half of the first inning. 

"It was amazing," Peralta said about receiving that support. "I asked them earlier [Thursday], I said, 'I need some runs from you guys,' and I was sitting there like damn, this is crazy." 

In the end, Peralta allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts over five innings of work to earn his first win with the Mets. 

Expected update on possible Freddy Peralta contract extension emerges

Peralta remains on track to reach free agency after this season. While there is hope that he and the Mets could come to terms on an agreement during the campaign, it sounds like no deal is imminent. 

"Word is the Mets and Freddy Peralta are far enough apart on an extension that there isn't much optimism anything will be done soon, and perhaps even before free agency," MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post shared on Thursday night.