The Tampa Bay Rays have been in control of the American League for nearly the entire 2026 MLB season.
Tampa Bay’s front office is well aware of its chance to make a deep postseason run, and that was shown Sunday with a major starting pitcher acquisition.
According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Rays are in agreement to acquire New York Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta.
Peralta was traded to New York from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason and has now been moved again for the second time in less than a full calendar year.
The Rays are acquiring starting pitcher Freddy Peralta in a trade with the New York Mets, league sources tell The Athletic.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) August 2, 2026
Can Freddy Peralta return to form?
Peralta has struggled in a major way this season, as he’s pitched to a 4.99 ERA across 22 starts and 113.2 innings. The last time Peralta’s season ERA finished anywhere near that high was all the way back in 2019, when he was in his first full MLB season. He’ll certainly need to work with the Rays pitching lab to correct some things and get back to the dominant pitcher he’s shown he can be.
Freddy Peralta as a Met:
22 G
5 W
4.99 ERA
1.48 WHIP
113 KAdvertisement. Scroll to continue reading.Would you consider this one of the worst trades the Mets have made? pic.twitter.com/jEI50sW6a9
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) August 2, 2026
What does the return package look like?
According to MLB reporter Mark Feinsand, the Mets will be receiving three prospects in return for Peralta. Those three are outfielder Aidan Smith (TB No. 15 prospect), right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill (TB No. 26 prospect) and Emilien Pitre (TB No. 27 prospect).
With the American League still being wide open, the Rays have ultimately decided to push all their chips in. On paper, the pitching staff of Peralta, Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez is among the best in the AL and could be what leads the Rays to their first World Series appearance since 2020.
Andrew “Dew” Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.
