Category: Sports News

If the Tigers aren't willing to trade Tarik Skubal this offseason, the Mets' best bet when looking to add an impact starting pitcher via trade this offseason could be calling the Brewers about right-hander Freddy Peralta.

And after waffling on the possibility of dealing Peralta, Milwaukee is considering "cracking the door open for trade discussions," reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who notes that interest in Peralta is "significant."

Peralta, 29, is set to make just $8 million this season in what is his final year before free agency. 

The cost-conscious Brewers have made a habit of trading their most valuable players in the final year or two of their deal.

They traded pending free agent Corbin Burnes during the 2023-24 offseason and pending free agent Devin Williams last offseason. At the 2022 trade deadline, the Brewers dealt Josh Hader to the Padres when he still had a year and change of team control remaining.

So Peralta getting moved this offseason would keep with the above philosophy.

For the Mets, Peralta would be a perfect fit atop a rotation that is expected to include Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, and David Peterson.

It's unclear what the Brewers would want in exchange for Peralta, but it's fair to believe they would want at least one of New York's highly thought of young starters -- Brandon Sproat or Jonah Tong -- as part of a deal.

Peralta is coming off a phenomenal 2025 season, where he had a career-best 2.70 ERA in 176.2 innings. He posted a 1.07 WHIP, allowed just 124 hits, and struck out 204 batters -- a rate of 10.4 per nine.

Since transitioning in 2021 from mainly a relief option to the starting rotation, Peralta has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 139 starts over the last five years, Peralta has a 3.30 ERA and 1.09 WHIP and has fanned 895 batters in 738.1 innings while allowing just 536 hits. He has also been reliable when it comes to taking the ball, tossing 165.2 innings or more reach of the last three seasons.

His ability to miss bats and limit hits is elite, as is his stuff. 

Peralta relies mainly on a four-seam fastball (which he threw 53 percent of the time this past season), a changeup, and a curve. He'll also mix in a slider.

In 2025, his pitching run value graded out in the 97th percentile, via Baseball Savant. And all of his individual pitches were tremendous -- the fastball was in the 84th percentile, the breaking balls were in the 88th percentile, and the changeup was in the 96th percentile. Looking at Peralta's advanced metrics, he was near the top of the league in xERA, xBA, average exit velocity, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, hard hit percentage, and extension.

If the Mets don't land Peralta, other possibilities on the trade market include Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez of the Twins, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera of the Marlins, and MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals.

What is your opinion of Elian Peña and what are the chances he is a phenom who could make the major leagues by 20? - @JeopardyJesseC on X

I, and more importantly, the Mets, are incredibly high on Peña, who ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the Mets system in my latest update.

After signing with the Mets for a franchise record $5 million in January, Peña started his pro career in an 0-26 stretch in the Dominican Summer League.

In the remaining 46 games, Peña looked a lot more like the player they thought they were getting. He hit .341/.463/618 (1.081 OPS) with 13 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 32 RBI, 18 stolen bases and walked more (33) than he struck out (29). He also had two separate three-home run games.

From a tools standpoint, Peña possesses strong bat-to-ball skills with a compact, quick swing and an advanced knowledge of the strike zone. This even dates to prior to him turning professional at either showcases or even in batting practice, where he would refuse to swing at pitches he deemed outside the zone as not to make a habit out of it.

From a power perspective, scouts project him to be above average with a chance for more as he physically matures. There have been public comparisons to multi-time All-Star Rafael Devers.

Peña may have the highest upside of any prospect in the Mets system, and it would not shock me if he cracked top 100 prospect lists in the next 12 months.

Despite that, making the big leagues at 20 years old might be a tall ask. Peña will be 18 years old for the entirety of the 2026 season, where he will come stateside and either play for the Florida Complex League Mets or go straight to Low-A St. Lucie. To make it to the major leagues by 20, he would need to rise through every minor league level in just two years.

Could it happen? I try not to rule anything out, and if there is a prospect who could do it, Peña might be the one. I just think that is an aggressive timeline and leaves little room for error and development. He is an exciting prospect, and it could be a quicker ascent than your typical international free agent signing -- just maybe not to the big leagues in two years.

Could A.J. Ewing make a huge jump on prospect lists this year? - @JahrellC on X

Absolutely. Ewing was the biggest riser in the Mets organization in the calendar year 2025. He just missed making the preseason top 30 list and climbed all the way to No. 6 in my most recent ranking.

In 124 games split between three levels, reaching Double-A, Ewing hit .315/.401/.429 (.830 OPS) with 26 doubles, 10 triples, three home runs and 70 stolen bases.

His offensive profile is tailored to bat-to-ball and limiting swing-and-miss. There was a point in the season when I wondered if Ewing would finish with more stolen bases than strikeouts.

He's currently spraying line drives and utilizing his legs on balls into the gaps. The next step in his development will be adding strength and impacting the baseball more.

As the Mets' farm system continues to grow into one of the best in baseball, Ewing is a prospect who likely will land just outside of top 100 lists when the major publications update those.

If Ewing can improve upon what he did in 2025, I suspect he will find his way into those top 100 lists. And as some prospects graduate from the Mets list, he could find himself very high in a midseason update.

With the Mets recently trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien -- a move that will lead to aftershocks for New York as the offseason progresses -- the outfield situation is in flux.

What was going to be a straightforward situation in the corner spots, with Nimmo in left andJuan Sotoin right, is now anything but.

In light of the new hole in left field, the Mets can go a number of different ways.

They could go internal, filling left and center with players already on the roster.

They could swing big for one of the left fielders on the free agent market, or turn to someone via trade to play there.

They could also go internal in left and fill center from outside the organization.

Let's break it down...

The Internal Candidates

Before the Nimmo trade, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns was touting prospectCarson Benge, noting that he would enter spring training with a chance to win the starting center field job.

While Benge might be a better long-term solution in a corner outfield spot, he could obviously be a fit in center to start the 2026 campaign if his bat is deemed ready.

After dominating Double-A Binghamton last season to the tune of a .317/.407/.571 triple slash in 32 games, Benge struggled after being promoted to Triple-A Syracuse -- posting a .583 OPS. He caught fire over the last week of the season, though, reaching base 12 times in his final 31 plate appearances of the season while belting a pair of home runs, a double, and a triple. 

If the Mets go internal in center and Benge isn't ready (or they use him in left field instead), they could theoretically go defense-first and hand the job to Tyrone Taylor.

Taylor's bat was an issue in 2025, as he put up an OPS+ of just 70 after being about average in 2024 (OPS+ of 98). But his defense remained elite. He was worth three Outs Above Average (in the 84th percentile), had an arm value that graded out in the 98th percentile, and his arm strength was also terrific (82nd percentile).

It stands to reason that if the Mets use Taylor as the starting center fielder, they will have upgraded the offense in multiple other spots in order to counterbalance the possible minimal offensive production from center. 

Jett Williams could also be in the mix as an internal option, though it seemed notable that Stearns did not mention him as an Opening Day possibility while discussing Benge's chances of breaking camp. 

That means it's fair to believe Williams wouldn't be viewed as an answer from the jump.

There's also the possibility Williams is traded this offseason, especially now that his potential long-term home of second base is blocked by Semien. 

The External Candidates

If the Mets go the free agent route for a center fielder, the most obvious fit could be Harrison Bader.

Bader had a very good year at the plate for the Twins and Phillies in 2025, hitting .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs and 24 doubles in 146 games. He was especially strong for Philadelphia down the stretch after being acquired at the trade deadline, posting an .824 OPS in 50 games. He was also elite defensively, worth seven Outs Above Average (in the 92nd percentile).

For the Mets, a reunion with Bader would give them a center fielder with pop and likely result in Taylor being a fourth outfielder -- a role he's better suited for than starting. 

Another option could be signing Cody Bellinger and using him in center field until Benge is deemed ready. But that would seemingly leave left field unsettled.

There are also two very intriguing trade possibilities. 

Luis Robert Jr., whom the Mets had interest in acquiring at last season's trade deadline, is available again. This time around, the White Sox -- who are in a deep rebuild -- are expected to deal him. 

The 28-year-old will earn $20 million in 2026 and has a club option for $20 million for 2027. That means the Mets can easily move on if he doesn't succeed, or easily retain him at a reasonable cost if he excels. 

Robert emerged as one of the best young players in baseball in 2023, posting an .857 OPS and blasting 38 homers in a career-high 145 games. But it's been a struggle for him at the plate since -- he had a .657 OPS in 2024 and .661 OPS in 2025.

The tools, including elite bat speed and an ability to use his plus speed to swipe bases (he had 33 last season) are still there, though. And Robert turned a corner offensively in the second half of the 2025 campaign, slashing .297/.350/.469 in 35 games. But his season ended in late August after he suffered a hamstring strain. 

Twins star Byron Buxton is also reportedly available, but his situation is complicated. 

Buxton has a full no-trade clause, meaning he can veto a trade to any team. 

He's also struggled to stay on the field, playing 100 or more games just three times during his 11-year career -- that includes 126 games last season and 102 in 2024.

When healthy, Buxton is among the most dangerous hitters in baseball and a tremendous defensive center fielder, making him a tantalizing option.