Peralta Seeking "Seven Or Eight" Years

"Although Peralta has expressed openness to extension talks, he's targeting the kind of contract which the Mets have mostly avoided under president of baseball operations David Stearns. Peralta told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic earlier this week that he was looking for a long-term deal. He was more specific on Friday, telling Jon Heyman of The New York Post he's seeking "seven or eight years.""

"As shown on MLBTR's Contract Tracker, the Mets haven't signed a pitcher for more than three years since Stearns was hired in 2023. Last winter's three-year, $75MM deal with Sean Manaea is their only pitching contract beyond two seasons. They reportedly made a 12-year offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he was an ace coming over from Japan at age 25."

"Peralta would be a more typical high-end free agent than a nearly unique case like Soto or Yamamoto. He turns 30 in June, so the first year of an extension or free agent deal would be his age-31 season. He's an excellent pitcher but is a clear notch below the likes of Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes as the best arms in MLB."

The Mets traded prospects to acquire pitcher Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee in January, attracted by his $8MM salary. While Peralta expressed openness to extension discussions, he is seeking a 7-8 year long-term contract. This conflicts with the Mets' recent approach under president David Stearns, who has largely avoided multi-year pitcher commitments since his 2023 hiring. The Mets' only pitching deal exceeding two years is Sean Manaea's three-year, $75MM contract. Though Stearns previously worked with Peralta in Milwaukee and values him highly, Peralta at age 30 represents a typical high-end free agent rather than a unique case like Juan Soto or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, making an extended commitment less likely before free agency.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors