New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, July 26, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets in exchange for minor league outfielder Aidan Smith, minor league infielder Emilien Pitre, and minor league pitcher Gary Gill Hill. The deal is pending physicals and has not been formally announce by either organization.

Peralta failed to meet expectations after being acquired by the Mets in January of last season. Coming off an impressive 17-6 campaign with a 2.70 ERA spanning 33 starts and 176.2 innings, Peralta has struggled in 2026 compiling a 5-9 mark with a 4.99 ERA covering 22 starts and 113.2 innings pitched. 

Peralta is a nine year veteran who has a career mark of 75-51 with a 3.74 ERA.  He has been an innings eater going back to the 2023 season.  In 2023 he tossed 165.2 innings, in 2024 173.2 and 176.2 innings in 2025. He will provide the Rays a durable arm to carry the rotation down the stretch to take some of the workload off Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax who have each exceeded their innings pitch from last season.

The MLB.com Rays Top-30 Prospects list Gill Hill as #26, Pitre #27, and Smith is #15. Baseball America Rays Top-30 Prospects list Aidan Smith as #15, Gill Hill as #27, and Pitre is unranked. 

The 22-year old Smith was acquired as part of the Randy Arozarena deal and has slogged through an injury filled season with the Rays High-A affiliate Bowling Green Hot Rods. In 49 games hes batting .215/.283/.410 with 10 homers spanning 228 plate appearances. 

The 23-year old Pitre was selected by the Rays in the second round of the 2024 draft out of the University of Kentucky. He’s split the season with the Bowling Green Hot Rods and their Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits.  Overall he’s hitting ,308/.438/.447 with 70 walks and just 40 strikeouts. 

The 21-year old Gill Hill has split the season between Bowling Green and Montgomery posting a 7-3 mark with a 4.43 ERA. He has struck out 7.2 batters per nine inning while exhibiting excellent control walking just 1.9 batters per nine.