Freddy Peralta is slated to make his scheduled start Friday night against the Marlins at Citi Field, but interim manager Andy Green indicated it could be his final appearance with the New York Mets as the trade deadline approaches.
Peralta, acquired in the offseason with the expectation that he would anchor the starting rotation, has not met those expectations. The 30-year-old right-hander holds a 4.99 earned run average (ERA) and a 1.48 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) this season. He has not completed six innings since June 9 and struggled in July, posting a 6.85 ERA over five starts, allowing 17 earned runs and five home runs in 22 1/3 innings.
A year ago with the Milwaukee Brewers, Peralta was an All-Star and finished fifth in Cy Young Award voting with a 2.70 ERA.
Despite his performance this season, teams are reportedly showing interest in Peralta. The Mets acquired him in a trade that sent prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to the Brewers.
Clay Holmes' Future Uncertain
Another Mets pitcher, Clay Holmes, also finds himself on the trade block. The right-hander made his second minor league rehabilitation start Tuesday for Single-A Port St. Lucie, throwing 59 pitches over four shutout innings. Holmes has been sidelined since May 15 with a fractured right fibula.
The Mets will determine his next steps following a bullpen session on Friday. Holmes could be traded by Sunday, the next day he is scheduled to pitch.
In recent weeks, the Mets' bullpen has been a strong point, boasting the lowest ERA in the National League at 1.93 since the All-Star break. Their relief pitchers have not surrendered an earned run over their last 20 1/3 innings.
In other team news, Francisco Lindor recently passed Keith Hernandez for 11th place on the Mets' all-time RBI list with 469. The team holds a 17-16 record against the NL East but is 17 games under .500 against all other opponents.