Ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline, one of the needs that the Tampa Bay Rays had was acquiring some reinforcements for their rotation.
A starting pitcher was near the top of their wishlist, and the Rays were one of the teams linked to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Alas, the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, so Tampa Bay pivoted.
They acquired Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in exchange for outfielder Aidan Smith, infielder Emilien Pitre and right-handed pitcher Gary Gill Hill. At the time, the trade was viewed as an overpay by the Rays, who were bringing on a pitcher who had a 4.99 ERA and -0.3 bWAR with the Mets.
However, he was an All-Star in 2025, leading the National League with 17 wins, and he produced 5.5 bWAR. If there was any team that could coax that level of production out of him again, it is Tampa Bay.
Sep 1, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A month later, this is a trade that gets a grade of "C" but is trending in the right direction. Peralta was not good in his first five starts with the club. He had a ghastly 7.17 ERA across 21.1 innings pitched, allowing 17 earned runs on 23 hits and six walks, serving up five home runs.
Two of those starts came in hitter-friendly environments at Coors Field and Sutter Health Park, so he was given some benefit of the doubt. But in two starts against the Baltimore Orioles, he gave up seven earned runs in 11.2 innings.
What kept this grade from being worse than "C" is that Peralta looks to have figured things out in his last two outings. Some adjustments were being made, and they are starting to translate to better production on the field .
Against the Detroit Tigers and New York, Peralta has thrown 12 innings, allowing only five hits. A solo home run to Francisco Lindor is the only run scored against him, as he has issued zero walks and struck out 11 batters.
He has worked efficiently, needing only 155 pitches to get through his 12 innings of work, averaging 12.9 pitches per frame. That kind of production is what will make the Rays such a dangerous team down the stretch.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Had Peralta not turned things around in his last two starts, this grade would have been trending toward a fail. Not only because he was struggling, but also because the early returns on every prospect traded has been positive for the Mets.
Smith has a .319/.429/.565 slash line in 84 plate appearances with High-A Brooklyn. He has five home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI and eight stolen bases.
Pitre dominated Double-A Binghamton, earning a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse. In 84 plate appearances between the two clubs, Pitre has 25 hits.
On the mound, Hill is 2-0 with a 3.78 ERA across 26.1 innings of work with 28 strikeouts.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rays/onsi as Re-Grade of Freddy Peralta Trade for Rays One Month Later .
