New Team Linked to Blockbuster Trade For Mets' Freddy Peralta
MLB insider Jon Heyman recently put Peralta back in the conversation, drawing a parallel between him and Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara as the dependable, innings-eating playoff starter contenders covet.
"Very dependable guys. Always answer the bell," Heyman said. "Alcantara and Peralta are not having their best seasons, but they are guys that put up the innings, obviously playoff starters for just about any team. The Mets are most likely to sell at this point."
The Connection Has Been Building for Months
The Cubs were identified as a team in contact with the Mets about Peralta back in May, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, who noted Peralta and Cubs manager Craig Counsell share a mutual bond from their years together in Milwaukee.
That history gives Chicago additional insight into the pitcher.
The need has only intensified since.
Freddy Peralta will be seeking a contract in free agency similar to the 8-year, $218 million deal that Max Fried signed, per @BNightengale
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) June 7, 2026
Peralta has a 3.63 ERA and a 4.01 FIP in the first 13 starts of his contract year. pic.twitter.com/Q7iN5kvTJk
The Cubs have been ravaged by rotation injuries, losing Cade Horton to a season-ending injury, watching Justin Steele's return get pushed to 2027, and dealing with multiple recent IL stints for Matthew Boyd and Ben Brown.
Jed Hoyer told reporters he does not expect Steele to start games this season.
When Jordan Wicks recently started, he became the ninth different pitcher to start a game for the Cubs this year, the third most in baseball.
The Peralta Profile
Peralta is not having his best season, carrying a 4.53 ERA across 91.1 innings, but his peripherals suggest some bad luck, and his durability is the entire selling point.
His ability to make every scheduled start is exactly what the Cubs have lacked.
He is a two-time All-Star with a career 3.60 ERA across nine major league seasons and strong playoff experience.
.@MLBNerds created a mock trade that would send Freddy Peralta to the Cubs 👀
— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) May 10, 2026
Cubs receive:
SP Freddy Peralta
RP Brooks Raley
Mets receive:
RHP Jaxon Wiggins (Cubs #1 prospect)
OF Ethan Conrad (Cubs #3 prospect)
INF Jonathan Long (Cubs #6 prospect)
Would you do this 🤔⁉️ pic.twitter.com/1YPUuLvwLY
He is also on an expiring contract, which makes him an obvious trade candidate if the Mets sell, and Peralta has expressed interest in signing an extension multiple times over the years, meaning an acquiring team could potentially keep him beyond 2026.
The Mets traded a significant haul, including shortstop Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Sproat, to acquire Peralta from the Brewers before this season, so a sale would not recoup that full value.
The Cost
A proposed framework from FanSided's Robert Murray has the Cubs sending top prospect Jaxon Wiggins in a one-for-one deal, though an alternative package centered on 19-year-old Josiah Hartshorn, the 100th-ranked prospect in baseball, has also been floated as a way to keep Wiggins.
With Chicago's farm system depth and Peralta's durability, this is a deadline fit that has been pointing toward a deal for weeks.
