The San Diego Padres are in a weird spot. Forty-four and forty-six, 15 games back in the NL West but only 4.5 out of a Wild Card slot. They’ve got a roster that was supposed to contend now, not later. So the trade deadline is going to tell us a lot about whether this front office believes in this group or just wants to make a show of trying.
You’d think swinging big for Tarik Skubal or Joe Ryan would be the obvious move. Both are frontline arms. Both would instantly upgrade a rotation that’s been inconsistent all season. But the prospect cost for either guy would be enormous — the kind of package that empties the farm and makes you nervous about 2026.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated a different name: Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets. And honestly, it makes a weird kind of sense.
Peralta Is Having a Rough Year, but There’s History
Peralta’s numbers this season aren’t pretty. A 4.68 ERA over 19 starts with a 98/39 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That’s not what you’re looking for in a deadline pickup. But the guy was an All-Star in 2025 with a 2.70 ERA and a 204/66 K/BB ratio. Over nine big league seasons he’s made two All-Star teams and posted a 3.69 ERA with more than 1,250 strikeouts.
The question is which version shows up if you trade for him.
The Mets are a disaster right now. Thirty-eight and fifty-three heading into Tuesday. They’re not catching anyone. And Peralta is a free agent after the season, so holding onto him doesn’t do much good. New York won’t give him away, but his trade value is way lower than it was in March. That’s exactly the kind of buy-low opportunity the Padres tend to jump at.
Prospect Cost Matters Here
Bowden’s point is simple: the price to get Peralta is going to be significantly cheaper than what Skubal or Ryan would cost. You’re not emptying the system. You’re taking a flier on a guy with a track record who might just need a change of scenery and a pitching coach who can fix whatever’s off.
Would Peralta be an upgrade? Depends on which version of him shows up. But the Padres don’t have a ton of options. Their rotation depth is thin. The bullpen’s been overworked. If they make the playoffs they’ll need arms, and Peralta has the stuff to be a factor in October if he’s right.
The Mets are going to sell. That’s not a prediction, it’s practically a guarantee. And San Diego is the kind of team that can’t afford to stand still. Whether Peralta is the answer or just a stopgap, he’s probably the guy they’re actually going to get.
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