00:00David Stearns has been making some major moves the last couple of days.
00:04You guys know the big news.
00:05The Mets acquired all-star right-hander Freddie Peralta on Wednesday from the Brewers
00:09for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sprott.
00:13The Mets also got right-hander Tobias Myers as well.
00:16So let's get into the Peralta trade and the state of the Mets going into spring training
00:21with Michael Barron, co-creator and executive editor of Just Mets.
00:26Mike, what's going on, my man?
00:27Let's get straight into the breaking news about Freddie Peralta now coming to Flushing.
00:3333 starts for the Brewers last season.
00:36He finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting, and he made his second career all-star appearance.
00:42He could be the potential ace the Mets rotation desperately needs,
00:46but he could also be a potential rental since this is a walk year for him.
00:50For what they got versus what they gave, was the juice worth the squeeze?
00:57I think so, because simply put, the Mets, not only did they need to improve the rotation,
01:03but they also needed a top-of-the-rotation presence, and Peralta checks both of those boxes.
01:10He's, like you said, he was fifth in the Cy Young Award voting last year.
01:14He won a league-high 17 games.
01:16He had a 270 ERA.
01:17He is an ace by any measurement.
01:22Yes, they gave up a lot to get him, but I think the Mets came into this offseason knowing that if they were going to make a trade to fill this need,
01:30they were going to have to part with some of their top prospects and at least one pitcher.
01:34Like, you knew a pitcher was going to have to go back in this deal.
01:37So, given the state of their farm system and the way it's evolved, I think, you know, it's worth it because they can absorb that loss.
01:47I think they fell back from the best farm system in the game to sixth best farm system in the game by some standards.
01:54So, again, like, I think that's easily, that's something they can easily rebuild and get back to the top,
02:01and I think being sixth is pretty good considering where they came from even two years ago.
02:05Yeah, it's such a luxury having a farm system like they have to be able to go out there and get the ace that you need.
02:13We're weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Port St. Lucie.
02:17This rotation, as of now, Mike, is as follows, Peralta, McLean, Senga, Sean Minaya, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson.
02:26On paper, is this one of the better pitching rotations in the NL?
02:32I don't think so, but that does, I think they're a lot better than where they were at this time yesterday,
02:38but that just goes to show how much they needed someone like Peralta to even make them a mid-tier starting rotation.
02:45I think Fangraphs is still only projecting them as 15th in baseball.
02:49So, you know, but they jumped two or three spots in that projection just with this acquisition alone.
02:55And don't forget, they also have Tobias Myers, who's going to be potentially a hybrid starter and reliever,
03:01and he's, you know, kind of like a sleeper acquisition in all of this.
03:04So, now, that doesn't mean they don't have the potential to take that paper rotation and be a top-tier rotation.
03:13Remember, they have Nolan McLean, who's the best pitching prospect and best right-handed pitching prospect in baseball.
03:18He was great down the stretch.
03:20He has ace-like potential himself.
03:22They're expecting Sean Minaya to bounce back after an injury-plagued up-and-down season last year.
03:29They're going to need more from Kodai Senga.
03:30They need a full season end-to-end from David Peterson.
03:34And I know that's a lot of ifs, but if they get that or they get 60% of that,
03:39they have the potential to be a top-tier rotation in the game.
03:42There's no question about it.
03:44David Stearns, I feel like, got off to a rough start at the beginning of free agency,
03:51and he caught a lot of heat, but he's now flipped that and turned the heat up
03:56with the Bichette and Robert Jr. signings and now trading for Peralta.
04:01What grade would you give him so far this offseason?
04:04This may seem harsh, but I'm going to give him a B.
04:09And that's only because of the mulligan I think he'd like back with Edwin Diaz
04:13and that negotiation that went sideways out west, if you will.
04:17So I think he's had a phenomenal week.
04:21He's been a star GM in the last seven days.
04:24But when you consider the needs they had coming into the winter,
04:29and then he dismantled a third of the roster just by losing Diaz
04:36and trading away Brandon Nimmo and letting Pete Alonso walk.
04:41And he had to not only fix the problems that he had coming into the winter,
04:46but also address the holes that he willfully created.
04:49And I think he did a great job of doing that.
04:51I think he's transformed the roster from being, or I should say the lineup anyway,
04:55from being a top-heavy unit to a lineup that, you know, is a little bit longer,
05:00more athletic, you know, maybe a little, obviously a little bit less power,
05:04but also at the same time they're going to make a lot more contact
05:08and be a little bit more energetic out there.
05:12I think we're going to see less peaks and valleys as far as slums are concerned.
05:17It should be a more even season end-to-end with this kind of lineup.
05:20And you're hoping there's better vibes in the clubhouse as well.
05:25So as a whole, when you look at this roster as a whole, on paper,
05:29is this a better team going into spring training in 2026
05:33versus the roster going into spring training in 2025?
05:38I think it's different.
05:39I don't know that it's necessarily better.
05:42That doesn't mean the team didn't underachieve last year.
05:44They obviously underachieved, but they mostly underachieved in the rotation,
05:48and they were really lacking that Freddy Peralta presence, which they now have.
05:55But again, like, I think they've transformed the roster.
05:58Maybe it's the same, you know, pound for pound talent-wise,
06:02but I also think this transformation makes them, you know,
06:06potentially more competitive over a longer season
06:08and hopefully in, you know, in a short series situation in the playoffs.
06:13You know, whereas before, like, they didn't have enough
06:15to get through the regular season, especially on the mound.
06:17I think they still need some help in the bullpen,
06:21and I think they obviously, I firmly believe they need a major league option
06:25in left field, you know, to buy them a little bit more time with Carson Benj
06:30and take fewer risks by moving people out of position, moving them out there.
06:34But I think they're about the same talent-wise,
06:37but I also think, you know, talent and the ability to perform as a unit
06:42are two separate things, and I think this unit is more capable
06:47of performing over a 162-game season than they were a year ago.
06:52All right, let's hope they can get off to a fast start as well this season.
06:56We got spring training right around the corner, Mike,
06:59so we're going to be talking to you throughout the season.
07:02Appreciate you making yourself available today.
07:05Anytime.
07:05Thanks for having me.
07:06Love coming on.
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