Quinton Fesq
The New York Mets officially named right-hander Freddy Peralta as their Opening Day starter for the 2026 season. Manager Carlos Mendoza made the call right before Peralta made his spring debut against the Cardinals. This news is exactly what we were waiting for. The team acquired the 29-year-old in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers back in January. Now he gets the ball first. Peralta will take the mound on Thursday, March 26 at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Freddy Peralta’s Track Record
Last year in Milwaukee, Peralta went 17-6 and posted a great 2.70 ERA over 33 starts. Those stats earned him a fifth-place finish in the National League Cy Young Award voting. That kind of production is exactly why the front office went out and got him. He eats innings and keeps runs off the board. His strikeout numbers are always high, and he knows how to miss bats. And that is why he beat out other guys in camp like Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, and Clay Holmes for the top spot.
Opening Day Dominance
This is not his first time handling the pressure of Opening Day. It is actually his third time getting this specific assignment. Last year he pitched opening day against the Yankees and threw five innings of two-run ball with eight strikeouts. In 2024 he secured the win against the Mets themselves. He pitched six innings of one-run ball and struck out eight batters in that game. He also started the Brewers home opener against the Mets in 2023, throwing six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. Across his first starts in those three seasons, he has a 1.59 ERA and a massive 37.7% strikeout rate. So he clearly thrives when the lights are brightest.
The First Matchup
The first game of the year is going to be a tough assignment. Peralta and the Mets will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. He will likely be pitching opposite Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner. That is a heavyweight pitching matchup right out of the gate. But here is the thing, Peralta has the stuff to match him pitch for pitch. The Mets have a long history of winning on Opening Day. With his elite 0.71 WHIP in his recent season debuts, he gives them a great chance to keep that trend going.
The Mets gave up a lot to bring Peralta into the fold. They traded top prospect Jett Williams to make it happen. Tobias Myers also came over to New York in that January 21 deal. This shows the front office believes Peralta is the true ace they needed. He provides stability at the top of the rotation. Guys like David Peterson and Nolan McLean will slot in behind him. The starting staff had some question marks coming into the winter, but adding a guy who made 33 starts last year fixes a lot of those problems. You really cannot put a price on a starter who takes the ball every fifth day without fail.
There is also a business side to all of this. Freddy Peralta is making $8 million this year. He will become eligible for free agency right after the 2026 season ends. That means he is pitching for his next big contract. A motivated ace in a contract year is a very good thing for the rest of the team. He knows what is at stake. He wants to prove he can lead a New York rotation all the way to October.
We all know how demanding the fans and the media can be in this city. But a guy with his strikeout stuff usually wins the crowd over quickly. And if he pitches like he did last year, the Mets are going to win a lot of baseball games.
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