Former NY Mets GM lays out maybe the worst Freddy Peralta trade deadline scenario

Jim Duquette isn’t a favorite of New York Mets fans. It’s not because he’s a bad guy. He just happened to be the architect of two of the worst seasons in the early 2000s. The club’s GM in 2003 and 2004, he had a mostly ineffective trade deadline sell-off in 2003 and poor buy in 2004. Most memorable was trading away Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano in a year where the Mets didn’t even make the playoffs.

A commonly heard voice on SNY, Duquette reminded us why we’re thankful he doesn’t wield the power in the front office. He spoke about the one Peralta trade deadline scenario that just doesn’t work. All the while, he doesn’t even seem convinced it’s a wise idea.

Duquette’s premise is the Mets may need to consider keeping Peralta through the trade deadline and make him a qualifying offer. If he signs elsewhere, they gain a compensatory pick after the fourth round. He’s very likely to take the one-year deal expected to be a little over $23 million. A second round with Peralta with the hope of better results, it’s defining insanity while holding your own roster back.

The Mets are better off getting a seemingly low trade return for Freddy Peralta than playing games with the QO

If you believe in your scouting system and ability to spot talent before it blooms, you take that strategy with your Peralta trade return. Duquette is right about one thing. The Mets aren’t going to get nearly as much as anyone thinks for Peralta when he’s pitching like this. Someone will nibble. The Mets will need to wait a long time before benefitting from the trade.

When it comes to players with low trade value, you can do one of two things. You can go after guys in Double-A or Triple-A on the outs with their organizations. Try to fix them. Or you can go the route of seeking out the help of players way down in the minors who have yet to reach their peak.

In 2022, the Cincinnati Reds acquired their current fourth-ranked prospect for Tyler Naquin. Hector Rodriguez has been hammering baseballs all the way up to Triple-A. They got him for a bench player. What’s stopping the Mets from finding a gem in the Dominican Summer League with anyone else at the cost of Peralta?

There are countless examples of a seemingly unimportant trade piece turning into a star. One of the more notable was Fernando Tatis Jr. in a package for James Shields.

A Peralta trade isn’t the lost cause Duquette is making it out to be. Most problematic is probably the idea that the club has the space or need for him next season. The rise of Zac Thornton to join Christian Scott and Nolan McLean makes things awfully crowded. Sean Manaea may be difficult to move. If you had to pick a fifth option, you’d probably want Clay Holmes or someone else.

Under different circumstances, Duquette’s non-proposal (he did shrug and seem to agree midway through his point that it’s not the best strategy) isn’t such a bad mistake. We can all agree there’s a good chance Peralta is better next season and for many more. The Mets just can’t make decisions in the final week of July with the purpose of handcuffing themselves for all of 2027.

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This article was originally published on risingapple.com as Former NY Mets GM lays out maybe the worst Freddy Peralta trade deadline scenario.