Rays acquire right-hander Freddy Peralta from Mets for three top prospects

Tampa Bay agreed on Sunday to obtain right-hander Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in exchange for three minor-league prospects ranked among the clubs’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. The players heading to New York are outfielder Aidan Smith (ranked No. 15), right-hander Gary Gill Hill (No. 26) and infielder Émilien Pitre (No. 27). Neither team has formally confirmed the transaction.

Peralta, 30, is entering the final year of his contract and will be a free agent after the season. He is earning $8 million in 2024, a modest financial commitment for a club that is 65-45 and leading the American League. The move follows Tampa Bay’s earlier pursuit of top starter Tarik Skubal, which ultimately fell through.

The pitcher joined the Mets in January after a trade with the Brewers that sent prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to New York. While Peralta posted a 17-6 record with a 2.70 ERA for Milwaukee last season, his performance with the Mets this year has been uneven, posting a 5-9 record and a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts, including a 6.67 ERA in 11 starts between May 23 and July 20.

"Fastball Freddy" can still throw in the upper 90s and possesses a five-pitch repertoire, though his velocity and strikeout rate have declined this season, and his walk rate has risen, Peralta said.

The prospects Tampa Bay is sending to New York have shown promise: Smith is a defensively strong center fielder in High-A Bowling Green; Pitre is a second baseman hitting .308/.438/.447 across High-A and Double-A; and Gill Hill has been a consistent starting-pitching prospect, though he faces Rule 5 Draft eligibility.

The acquisition adds another experienced arm to a rotation that already includes All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan (currently on the injured list) and converted reliever Griffin Jax, with Ian Seymour contributing in a hybrid starter-reliever role.