The New York Mets suffered another defeat Wednesday, falling 9-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, with pitcher Freddy Peralta delivering a disappointing performance. The loss marked the Mets' fifth consecutive series loss, further deepening the struggles of a season that is on pace to be one of the franchise's most disappointing.
Peralta, referred to as the team's "alleged ace," surrendered five earned runs on seven hits over four innings, striking out four and walking three. His ERA climbed to 4.81 following what was his second outright poor start in his last three outings. The right-hander's performance occurred just hours after team owner Steve Cohen stated on "The Show" podcast that president of baseball operations David Stearns' job is secure through his five-year contract, which extends to 2028.
The Blue Jays established an early lead, with Kazuma Okamoto's RBI single in the first inning putting Toronto ahead 1-0. The deficit grew in the third inning when Sean Keys hit a three-run home run, his first career homer, extending the Blue Jays' advantage. By the seventh inning, Toronto had widened the gap further with an RBI single from Daulton Varsho and a three-run home run from Myles Straw, which established the 9-0 scoreline.
The Mets' offense showed limited life. Carson Benge hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning, and Francisco Lindor added a solo homer in the ninth, but these were the only offensive highlights for the team, which managed just five hits in total.
Peralta, in the final year of his contract, is considered a potential trade chip for the Mets leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline. However, his recent struggles raise questions about his trade value. The Mets acquired Peralta from Milwaukee in January in a deal that sent prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Brewers, a trade that also brought pitcher Tobias Myers, who has been demoted to Triple-A Syracuse twice this season.
The Mets are scheduled to begin a four-game series in Atlanta against the NL-East leading Braves on Friday. The Mets previously won two of three games against Atlanta at home last month.