Some new comments from New York Mets Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta show he is the ace and leader this […]
Some new comments from New York Mets Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta show he is the ace and leader this team badly needed.
The 2025 campaign for the NY Mets was one of the most disappointing in the club’s history. After bringing back much of the roster that reached the NLCS in 2024 and adding MVP contender Juan Soto to the mix, expectations were high. When they looked like one of the best teams in baseball over the first half, it felt like their grand plan was coming together.
Then they went into a nose-dive in the second half and completed a shocking collapse over the final month of the season. Missing the playoffs and leaving fans stunned. While there has been a lot of discussion about what went wrong, the lack of unity in the locker room seems to be one of the biggest culprits. This is why the organization made several moves with the idea of improving clubhouse morale.
One of them was their blockbuster trade for former Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. The primary goal of the deal was to get a legit ace at the top of the rotation. However, another reason the NY Mets reportedly traded for the two-time All-Star is his reputation as a unifier and high-character player.
Peralta says the NY Mets were the team he wanted to be traded to
Freddy Peralta was hoping to land with the Mets when he found out he had been traded.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 4, 2026
"I had a feeling, and I wanted to come here." pic.twitter.com/41cFh6Y8ld
On Wednesday, Peralta proved that with a pair of fantastic comments during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast. When asked about his thoughts when he knew a trade was close, the 29-year-old revealed he had a feeling he would be traded to the NY Mets, and “I wanted to come here. I’m not going to lie,” he said with a smile.
When players sign with a New York team, they always say the right things. However, trades are different. So the fact that he wanted to end up in Gotham, and it brings a lot of his family together, is a major positive about his mindset heading into his debut season in the New York media pressure cooker.
Furthermore, he added some information that proves he is very excited about being a Met in 2026. First, there is the fact that he showed up to spring training early, which Peralta says he specifically did so that he could form bonds with his new teammates.
Opting out of the WBC was a hard decision for Freddy Peralta, but the focus is on acclimating himself to his new team. pic.twitter.com/bHNV1yD3la
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 4, 2026
Also, while he admits it was hard, he chose to forego representing his country, the Dominican Republic, in the World Baseball Classic this month. The reason why is that he is in the final year of his contract and debuting with a new team, so he wants to deliver another outstanding season for himself and the NY Mets in 2026.
However, there are rumors that he and the team are getting close on an extension. Either way, Peralta is already showing why he is the sort of pitcher and leader the team badly needed and can be a key part of a big turnaround this season.
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