In Port St. Lucie, Florida, Freddy Peralta showcased his playful side before delivering a solid performance in his second Grapefruit League outing. The newly acquired Mets pitcher defeated teammate Luis García in a clubhouse basketball game and then allowed two runs over three innings in a 10-4 win over the Yankees. Teammates and manager Carlos Mendoza praised Peralta's positive demeanor and mound talent.
Freddy Peralta embraced a lighthearted moment on Sunday in the Mets' Spring Training clubhouse in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Less than two hours before his start, the pitcher engaged in a rambunctious basketball contest with fellow hurler Luis García, shooting at a mini hoop. Peralta emerged victorious and smiled as he noted his prize: “Somebody has to bring me coffee.”
Unlike many pitchers who isolate before games, Peralta maintains an outgoing approach. “Just be myself every day,” he said. “It doesn't matter if I'm pitching or not pitching.” This philosophy extends to the field, where catcher Francisco Alvarez described him as: “He’s the same guy. He likes to compete. He likes to have fun. He likes to be happy.” Alvarez added, “I like to catch him. He’s a very positive guy.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza highlighted Peralta's impact: “Watching him day to day, the way he interacts, this guy is just different. This guy is genuine. He brings the joy. The quality of the person gets your attention. He's gifted in what he's able to do on the mound, but just the impact around the locker room – and it doesn't matter if you're Latin or American or wherever you come from. He's legit.”
In the game at Clover Park, the Mets defeated the Yankees 10-4. Peralta's second spring start followed three perfect innings against St. Louis nine days prior. He allowed two runs on three hits and one walk, striking out four in three innings on 45 pitches, with 31 strikes. The first run came on a triple by George Lombard Jr., whose fly ball caromed off A.J. Ewing's glove after colliding with the wall. Spencer Jones then singled, later scoring the second run. Peralta faced seven batters in the inning.
“I told [pitching coach Justin Willard] earlier today that it's kind of good to have some traffic during the game, because it's going to happen during the season,” Peralta said. “And I was able to come out without much damage.” He incorporated more changeups and breaking balls in later innings, striking out four of the final five batters faced. Mendoza had targeted 55 pitches; Peralta threw additional ones in the bullpen afterward.
Mendoza assessed the outing positively: “I thought it was good, especially with the way he was throwing his fastball today. We saw the velo picked up a little bit, just the life on it. They made him work, and that was good. It was good to see him trying to mess with hitters' timing with some of the quick pitches that he was doing, some of the slide steps. The curveball was good, and a couple good changeups there. Overall, a good day of work.”
The Mets acquired Peralta from Milwaukee in January and named him their Opening Day starter. Last season, he led the National League with 17 wins, posting a 6-17 record in 33 starts with a 2.70 ERA. A two-time NL All-Star turning 30 in June, Peralta has a career 70-42 record, 3.59 ERA, and 29.9% strikeout rate over eight seasons with the Brewers, including at least 165 2/3 innings in each of the past three years.
