Rays Acquire Freddy Peralta from Mets Amid AL East Race

The Tampa Bay Rays have secured pitcher Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in a trade, as reported by The Athletic. The deal has not yet been officially announced by either team, but it comes as the Rays seek to maintain their lead in the AL East.

In exchange for Peralta, who will become a free agent after this season, the Mets will receive minor-league outfielder Aidan Smith, infielder Émilien Pitre, and right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill. The Rays will also take on the remaining $2.4 million of Peralta's contract.

This season has been challenging for Peralta, who has a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts, marking his worst performance since 2019. Despite this, he has a history of reliability, having finished fifth in the NL Cy Young voting last year. The Rays, who have struggled with rotation depth, hope to improve his performance through their coaching. Peralta's addition is seen as a potential boost as the Rays aim for a postseason berth.