The funny thing about a blockbuster trade is how it blinds people. Everyone stares at the headline name, the strikeouts, the ace label, and misses the quieter move sitting right next to it. That’s exactly what happened when the New York Mets landed Freddy Peralta — the baseball world nodded at the ace and barely blinked at Tobias Myers.
That’s a mistake. A big one.
The Mets didn’t just buy an ace — they bought stability
Peralta is the flash. A 2.70 ERA and over 200 punchouts will do that, and he instantly becomes the tone-setter in Queens. He’s the guy who starts Game 1, the guy who walks out of the dugout with October expectations dripping off his shoulders.
Myers is something else entirely. He’s the piece contenders quietly hoard — the guy who keeps seasons from unraveling in May, July, and that weird dead zone in late August when bullpens start to melt.
His career 3.15 ERA isn’t an accident, and it sure isn’t smoke and mirrors from his time with the Milwaukee Brewers. Myers doesn’t overpower hitters, but he does that old-school pitcher thing the Mets have leaned into lately: he actually knows how to pitch.
Speeds change. Arm angles shift. Sequencing matters. Hitters don’t get comfortable, and that alone makes him dangerous in today’s velocity-obsessed league.
Carlos Mendoza already told you the plan
When manager Carlos Mendoza says a pitcher is making the Opening Day roster no matter what, that’s not filler talk. That’s a message. And insider Anthony DiComo passing it along only confirmed what the Mets clearly believe — Myers isn’t depth, he’s a weapon.
Look at the rotation math and it gets obvious fast. Between Peralta, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson, there are already more names than spots if everyone’s healthy.
That leaves Myers floating between roles — and that’s not a problem. It’s the whole point.
He’s posted a mid-3s ERA as a starter and an absurd 1.62 mark out of the bullpen in his short career so far. That’s not small-sample noise; that’s proof he adapts. Some pitchers crumble when you yank them between roles. Myers gets sharper.
The real value is control, not velocity
Here’s the part nobody on sports radio wants to talk about: Myers might outlast the ace in terms of impact. Peralta could walk after 2026, chasing a massive contract somewhere else. Myers? He’s under control for five years at a fraction of the price.
That matters when you already gave up premium talent like Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to make the deal happen. You don’t move prospects like that unless you’re trying to extend your competitive window, not just spike one season. And Myers is exactly the kind of pitcher who stretches that window open.
He can start if injuries hit. He can bridge games if the bullpen burns out. He can even close in a pinch if the Mets need outs more than labels. That’s how playoff teams survive six months without cracking.
Myers doesn’t need Triple-A seasoning, and he doesn’t need developmental patience. He’s ready now, and the Mets know it. That’s why he’s not going anywhere.
The trade will always be remembered for the ace at the top. That’s fine. Fans love the fireworks. But the smart teams? They win because of the guys who make sure the whole thing doesn’t collapse when the sparks fade.
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