The New York Mets have been the loudest team in baseball this week, pivoting from heartbreak to triumph by landing Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. But while the Mets celebrate their new lineup, they have left their rotation vulnerable, and the New York Yankees have the perfect opportunity to strike an 11th-hour blow that would cripple their crosstown rivals while saving their own season.
The Mets are desperate for a frontline starter and have been heavily linked to Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. However, the Yankees are prowling and have been throwing offers at the Brewers for weeks.
By trading for Peralta now, the Yankees wouldn’t just be acquiring an All-Star; they would be forcing the Mets into a corner where their only remaining options are overpaying for Framber Valdez or emptying their farm system for Tarik Skubal.
A Rotation in Crisis Needs a Savior
The Yankees’ interest in Peralta isn’t just about spite; it is about survival. The rotation is currently held together by duct tape and hope. Reigning ace Gerrit Cole is rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery and won’t be an option for weeks to begin the season. Clarke Schmidt is also shelved for the majority of the season due to the same procedure, and Carlos Rodón is expected to miss the first few weeks of the 2026 regular season with his own ailments.
The Yankees cannot afford to punt the first three months of the season while waiting for reinforcements. They need a proven frontline starter immediately. Peralta fits that description perfectly. The 29-year-old is coming off a sensational 2025 campaign where he went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA. He was a workhorse, tossing 176.2 innings and racking up 204 strikeouts, proving he can carry a staff.
His underlying metrics suggest this dominance is sustainable. Peralta ranked in the 97th percentile for Pitching Run Value and the 96th percentile for Offspeed Run Value. He misses bats at an elite rate—evidenced by his 83rd percentile Whiff %—which is exactly the kind of “swing-and-miss” stuff the Yankees desperately lack without Cole.
The Cost of Doing Business: Elmer Rodriguez
Milwaukee won’t hand over an ace for free. With Peralta entering the final year of his deal before free agency, the Brewers are looking to capitalize on that value now.
The cost for the Yankees would likely be a package headlined by top pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez. Losing Rodriguez would sting, as he represents a future piece of the rotation, but the Yankees are in “win-now” mode. Trading unproven potential for a guy who just posted a 2.70 ERA in the majors is a trade Brian Cashman makes ten times out of ten, especially when it blocks the Mets.
The algorithm hides the best New York Yankees news; make sure you pin Empire Sports Media on Google News so you don’t miss a beat.
The Strategic “Checkmate” on the Mets
If the Yankees land Peralta, the Mets are in trouble. Their alternatives, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen, come with qualifying offers attached, meaning signing them costs draft picks and significant international pool money. The “dream” pivot for the Mets would be Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, arguably the best left-hander on the planet.
However, if Peralta is off the board, the Tigers lose their primary competition in the trade market. They can name their price for Skubal, forcing the Mets to shred their farm system entirely if they want that specific ace.
The Yankees have the chance to add a legitimate No. 1 starter to pair with Max Fried to hold down the fort until Cole returns, all while forcing the Mets to overpay for lesser options. It is the kind of ruthless, 11th-hour maneuver that wins championships—and offseason headlines.