The New York Mets traded right-hander Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Aidan Smith, right-hander Gary Gill Hill, and second baseman Émilien Pitre, the teams announced Sunday.
The Rays are absorbing the remainder of Peralta's $2.4-million contract in the deal, reports the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
"We're excited to welcome Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays," president of baseball operations Erik Neander said in a statement. "Freddy is a proven major-league starter with high stakes experience and a strong track record. Adding a pitcher and competitor of his caliber strengthens our team as we push forward."
Peralta had a down year in Queens, posting his highest ERA (4.99) since 2019, but the veteran hurler finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting last season when he played for the Milwaukee Brewers. His addition should give the Rays one of the better rotations in the AL.
Rays projected rotation following trade
| PITCHER | IP | ERA | FIP | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Rasmussen | 117.1 | 2.91 | 3.01 | 3.2 |
| Shane McClanahan* | 99 | 3.09 | 3.36 | 2.2 |
| Freddy Peralta | 113.2 | 4.99 | 4.45 | 1.2 |
| Nick Martinez | 123.1 | 2.77 | 4.12 | 1.8 |
| Griffin Jax | 86.2 | 3.74 | 4.03 | 0.9 |
* McClanahan is on 15-day IL with back tightness
Peralta's tenure in Queens lasted less than one season after the Mets acquired him from the Brewers in a four-player deal last January.
Smith is the best of three players coming back to New York. The 22-year-old was considered the No. 15-ranked player in the Rays' farm system, according to MLB Pipeline. He posted a .672 OPS with 40 RBIs and 16 steals in the minors this season.
Gill Hill is a native of New Rochelle, New York. The right-hander owns a 4.49 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 20 minor-league starts this season. The 21-year-old participated for Great Britain at the most recent World Baseball Classic.
The 23-year-old Pitre is a 2024 second-round draft choice out of Canada. He has performed well across multiple minor-league levels this season, slashing .308/.438/.447 with 46 RBIs and 32 steals. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the Rays' No. 27 prospect.
Peralta is the second Mets player dealt this week, with reliever A.J. Minter shipped to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. New York is expected to make more deals before Monday's trade deadline.
