Jan 23, 2026
3 min read
It didn't take long for the Mets to turn the tide in the offseason, signing Bo Bichette before trading for Louis Roberts Jr.to address two significant programming gaps. But the next step — and some would say the most important — came Wednesday night.
It didn't take long for the Mets to change the public's perception of their offseason, signing Bo Bichette and then trading him for Luis Roberto Jr.to address two serious holes in their lineup.
But the next step — and some would say the most important — came Wednesday night, when New York sent two of its top five prospects (infielder/outfielder Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Spratt) to the Brewers for righties Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers, finally adding the ace the club had been searching for all winter.
"I like the aggressiveness of the Mets, and I don't think he's returned the favor," the American League executive said.
"It looks like a good deal for both teams," said an AL manager."The Mets got the player they wanted, and Milwaukee got two good closers in the Major Leagues for a starting pitcher and a year of control. I think both of them will do well."
The Mets' rotation ranked ninth in the National League with a 4.13 ERA last season, highlighting the need to add a front-line starter.President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has never given long-term deals to free agents, so the move for Peralta, who Stearns first acquired when he managed the Brewers in 2015, was a surprise.
Peralta is expected to be a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, but he immediately makes the Mets better this year. However, some managers believe that New York paid a high price for the right-hander's one year of service.
“My first reaction was that it felt overwhelming,” one National League executive said."I probably prefer Sprott to Peralta right now; one year versus six years has a lot to do with it."
"Tobias Myers is not an item in this deal," an AL official said.
Another AL executive compared the trade to the Brewers' deal that sent Corbin Burns to the Orioles in February 2024 for left guard DL Hall and Joey Ortiz.
"Classic Milwaukee deal," the AL official said."It looks like the return of Burnes -- two solid, but not huge, prospects. The deal also had a Comp A [Draft Option] and didn't include another player going the other way, which makes sense, because Peralta isn't as good as Burnes at that point.
Jett Williams probably won't stay shorter, so he actually hits better;He's too young for [Triple-A], so the system will love him despite his poor stats.
Trading a pair of top prospects for players with one year of control is always a risky move;the next look is from the Yankees with Juan Soto and the Cubs with Kyle Tucker, two players who left as free agents after one year with the club.The Mets have the money to extend Peralta, which is exactly what some executives believe Stearns will try to do before the pitcher hits the open market.
"Pralta can give them a year of their supermarket bills on the highway," Manuf said.
"It's a good matchup, and I don't see why big-market clubs with tight farm systems wouldn't like it, even with the level of control that comes back," said another AL executive.
The three executives used the term "win-win" to describe the trade, noting that both the Mets and Brewers achieved their goals in the trade.
"The Mets are getting better this year and the Brewers are getting better for a long time," said one NL manager."It's a high price, but the Mets can also get into the Series if Peralta becomes a free agent."
"It seems like a good thing for the Mets, but the Brewers always choose the right guys and have a pitcher to start the plug and a very good prospect and continue to get years of service," said another NL manager."It is difficult for two teams to win the same league, but I think they will."
