Rays' Freddy Peralta addresses theory about struggles with Mets

This past winter, the New York Mets sent Brandon Sproat and infielder/center fielder Jett Williams the Milwaukee Brewers pitcher in return for Freddy Peralta and fellow pitcher Tobias Myers.

Peralta then flopped as the Mets fell to the basement of the National League East standings, and New York ultimately sent him to the Tampa Bay Rays before the MLB trade deadline. Peralta is scheduled to face the Mets at Tampa Bay's Tropicana Field on Tuesday. On Monday, he addressed whether or not the pressure of pitching for a New York club impacted him throughout his short-lived Mets tenure.

Freddy Peralta "enjoyed" the pressure of playing for the Mets

"I don’t see pressure," Peralta insisted, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. "It’s a way bigger market, and there’s a lot more fans, people there, and everybody is paid to win for every day. I enjoyed those kinds of moments when I was in New York, but I don’t see it as pressure."

The numbers indicate neither Peralta nor the Mets enjoyed their working relationship all that much. Over 22 starts and 113.2 innings of work, he went 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He has since posted a 5.60 ERA in five starts with the Rays. 

"It was the first time I struggled like that, but I never gave up," the two-time All-Star said about his Mets stint. "I was always trying to find a way to feel better, to pitch better and I knew what I can do and I was feeling good physically too and healthy, but I couldn’t make the adjustment. But the good thing is now that I feel different, I am ready to keep going to the World Series, hopefully." 

Freddy Peralta now happy to have a fresh start

Shortly after the Mets traded Peralta, a report revealed that he helped bring Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor together for "clear the air" talks that seemingly helped improve the relationship between the franchise cornerstones.

"I made good friends there, really good friends," Peralta said about being with the Mets, per Alex Smith of SNY. "People there, they took care of me really well. For me, that’s a little sad." 

One thing Peralta understandably isn't sad about is going to a first-place team. While the 62-76 Mets ended Monday's MLB action with no realistic chance of making the playoffs, 82-55 Tampa Bay began Tuesday sitting atop the overall American League standings.

"I felt good because I was going to a team that was playing really well, in first place, competing all the time," Peralta added about the trade. "I love the stadium here, too. When the season started, I wasn’t expecting to be traded because I was going to a whole new team. I thought I would be there the whole year, at least. But in time it wasn’t a secret I was going to be traded, and I was just hoping to go to a team like this one." 

Meanwhile, the Rays are hoping that Peralta is reclaiming his best form after he completed six shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 26.