Most pro athletes opt not to delve into what they want their next contract to look like, but Freddy Peralta apparently is not like most pro athletes.
Feb 27, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta looks on against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Most pro athletes opt not to delve into what they want their next contract to look like, but Freddy Peralta apparently is not like most pro athletes.
The new Mets ace made it known to Jon Heyman of the New York Post that he wants a seven or eight-year contract, and he wants it to come from president of baseball operations, David Stearns. “I’m really comfortable here,” Peralta said. “I’m not going to lie, I’d love to be here, and I’d love to stay a long time… Everything has been amazing. Talking from the bottom to the top, the people in the front office, everyone. They’ve been very easy for me, easy to work with, and I’m just happy because I feel they have my back.” This is a significant admission from a player who has yet to throw a regular-season pitch with his new club, but the veteran right-hander’s desire to lay his routes in Queens is a testament to the culture that the Mets have built under Steve Cohen and Stearns.Peralta stands to strike it big on the free-agent market next winter, when his current contract expires. He is coming off his best year as a pro with the Milwaukee Brewers, in which he wentIn New York, he is taking on the mantle of staff ace after a disastrous 2025 season saw the majority of the Mets’ rotation, outside Nolan McLean, crash and burn in the second half. Should he fulfill those expectations, he becomes as invaluable as ever to a team that needs to bolster the top of its rotation for the foreseeable future. But that would mean Stearns goes against his philosophy regarding free-agent starting pitchers, which all but forbids him from doling out big-money contracts. It is a precautionary mindset given the volatility at the position. A staggering number of pitchers encounter significant injury issues, includingFor at least the last three seasons, the 29-year-old Peralta has been dependable, pitching at least 165 innings every year of that stretch, and another healthy, strong campaign in 2026 will only strengthen his chances of getting that long-term, big-money contract from somewhere. The Mets’ appetite to fulfill that wish, though, is murky at best. Not only does Stearns not pay up for pitching, but Jonah Tong is brewing in the minors and projects to be a front-line starter upon his full introduction to the majors. That is a 1-2 punch that fits Stearns’ roster-construction style far better than a seven-year contract.Joe Pantorno has been the executive sports editor of amNewYork since 2020. He covers the New York Mets and is a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America . He is also a member of the Pro Hockey Writers’ Association and has covered the New York Islanders for nearly a decade. His previous stops include Bleacher Report and Metro New York, while his work has been featured in the New York Post, Newsday, and Yahoo! Sports.inappropriate”Robert Stock injury: Mets RP needs thoracic outlet syndrome procedure ‘Sopranos’ creator, stars talk ‘best show ever made’ during panel at Museum of the Moving Image in AstoriaCops hunt for suspect who stabbed man outside Flatiron Taco Bell4 people shot inside Brooklyn bar, gunman at large: cops
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