The New York Mets find themselves at a critical juncture with Freddy Peralta as the MLB trade deadline approaches. Once a reliable presence in the Milwaukee Brewers rotation, Peralta has struggled mightily in Queens during the 2026 season.
His ERA sits just under 5.00, a far cry from the form that once made him a desirable arm, and that decline has predictably softened his market value. Yet even in a down year for both pitcher and team, Peralta retains enough intrigue to draw interest from clubs seeking starting pitching help.
Among those clubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers stand out as a logical suitor. They showed interest in Peralta the last time he was available, and the right-hander has historically performed well against them, posting a 4-2 record and 3.40 ERA in his career matchups.
His most recent start against Los Angeles saw him allow two earned runs over four innings, after which he suggested it might have been his final outing in a Mets uniform. For a Dodgers team defending consecutive World Series titles, depth remains a concern.
Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell continue to battle injury issues, Shohei Ohtani has not pitched with the same frequency in the second half, and Roki Sasaki has been inconsistent. Relying solely on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Justin Wrobleski through October feels like an unnecessary risk for a franchise with championship expectations.
Mark Powell of FanSided feels that the Mets should only entertain a specific kind of package if they decide to move Peralta to Los Angeles. Top-100 prospects are almost certainly off the table given Peralta’s expiring contract and diminished performance. What makes sense instead is controllable, major-league-ready pitching that can help New York sooner rather than later.
Powell identifies River Ryan as the centerpiece of such a deal. The 27-year-old right-hander ranks as the Dodgers’ No. 7 prospect and was once ranked among the game’s top 100. Injuries have limited his big-league exposure, but he posted an ERA under one across four starts in 2024 and is expected to return from his latest setback soon.
Pairing Ryan with a lower-level throw-in such as Chase Harlan, who remains far from the majors but is raking to the tune of a .938 OPS in Single-A this season, would give the Mets a young arm with upside while allowing Los Angeles to address its rotation needs without surrendering elite prospect capital.
Powell argues the Dodgers would likely green-light the swap. Rather than hoping Ryan stays healthy after multiple setbacks, they could add a veteran with postseason experience and still retain plenty of minor-league pitching depth. For the Mets, the calculus is different but still favorable.
Peralta is almost certain to leave via free agency, so there is little long-term downside in moving him now. Acquiring Ryan would represent a calculated risk on a pitcher who has shown flashes of promise, and it would at least return something of value rather than watching Peralta walk for nothing.
Whether the two clubs ultimately find common ground remains to be seen. What is clear is that Peralta’s value, while reduced, is not zero, and the Dodgers’ need for reliable innings creates an opening.
If the Mets are going to part with him, the package centered on River Ryan and a secondary piece represents the kind of return that makes the move worthwhile.
