Francisco Lindor opened the game with a leadoff home run off former teammate Freddy Peralta, Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Peralta, now with the Tampa Bay Rays, was facing the New York Mets for the first time since being traded at the deadline.
Lindor sent a curveball over the right-field wall in the first inning, his 15th homer of the season, giving the Mets an early 1-0 lead. The Mets had an opportunity to extend their advantage with runners on first and second with one out but could not score again in the inning.
Peralta, who was acquired by the Mets in an offseason trade with the Brewers and was expected to be the team's ace, struggled during his tenure in New York. He posted a 5-9 record with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP over 22 starts, often having difficulty completing five innings. Despite these numbers, Peralta stated that he did not feel pressure pitching in a larger market like New York, attributing his performance to the nature of the game. He said, "I don’t see pressure. It’s a way bigger market and there’s a lot more fans, people there, and everybody is paid to win for every day. I enjoyed those kinds of moments when I was in New York, but I don’t see it as pressure."
One of Peralta's notable contributions to the Mets was reportedly arranging a meeting between Lindor and Juan Soto in an effort to improve their relationship during the 2025 season. Injuries to both players limited their time in the lineup together early in 2026, contributing to the Mets' decision to sell at the trade deadline.
The Mets traded Peralta to the American League East-leading Rays in exchange for three of Tampa Bay's top prospects: outfielder Aidan Smith (No. 15), right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill (No. 26), and infielder Émilien Pitre (No. 27). Since joining the Rays, Peralta has pitched to a 5.60 ERA.