The New York Mets reshaped the top of their pitching staff this winter, acquiring two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers in a multiplayer trade and signing closer Devin Williams away from the crosstown Yankees. The headline move came Jan. 22, 2026, when the Mets landed Peralta and right-hander Tobias Myers in exchange for two of their best prospects.

The Peralta trade

To get Peralta, the Mets sent right-hander Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams — two of the organization’s top young players — to Milwaukee. The 29-year-old Peralta arrives as the Mets’ de facto ace after going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA over 176⅔ innings and 33 starts in his last full season, a workhorse output that anchored the Brewers’ rotation.

The financial terms made the deal especially attractive. Peralta was owed roughly $8 million on a club option, a modest figure for a pitcher of his caliber. He slots into a rotation that also features Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga and David Peterson, giving manager Carlos Mendoza a deeper and more established starting group than the one that finished 2025.

There is history behind the acquisition. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns ran the Brewers’ baseball operations from 2018 to 2023 — the years Peralta broke through in Milwaukee. Stearns knows the pitcher’s makeup and durability, and he is betting on both to carry the Mets back to the postseason.

Williams arrives, Díaz departs

The bullpen got a separate overhaul. Earlier in the offseason, the Mets signed reliever Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract, reuniting Stearns with another pitcher he had developed in Milwaukee, where Williams spent his first four seasons.

When the Mets signed Williams in early December, the plan was for him to set up incumbent closer Edwin Díaz. That plan changed when Díaz signed with the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving the ninth inning to Williams. Stearns acknowledged the Williams deal affected the team’s pursuit of Díaz.

Williams arrives looking to rebound. After being traded from the Brewers to the Yankees the previous December, he struggled across town to a career-worst 4.79 ERA over 67 appearances in 2025. The Mets are wagering that a change of scenery and a familiar front office will restore the form that once made him one of the game’s most dominant relievers.

A retooled staff around Soto and Lindor

The pitching moves surround a lineup that already carries enormous expectations. Juan Soto, signed to a 15-year, $765 million contract that brought him to Queens, is moving to left field for 2026 to ease his defensive burden after a difficult year in right. He, Francisco Lindor and new center fielder Luis Robert Jr. reported to spring training in mid-February, with Soto set to make his exhibition debut in the team’s opener.

For the Mets, the offseason narrative was about pairing that star-laden lineup with a starting staff capable of pitching deep into October. Peralta gives them a true No. 1, Williams stabilizes the back of the bullpen, and Stearns has bet two premium prospects and roughly $51 million in relief money that the combination is enough to contend in a crowded National League.

What it cost

The price was real. Sproat and Jett Williams were cornerstones of a farm system the Mets had spent years rebuilding, and parting with both signals an organization shifting from accumulation toward a win-now window. With Soto under contract for more than a decade and Lindor in his prime, the front office has decided the time to spend prospect capital is now.

Verification

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the Mets give up for Freddy Peralta?
Top prospects right-hander Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams. Milwaukee also sent right-hander Tobias Myers to New York in the deal, completed Jan. 22, 2026.
Who is the Mets' closer for 2026?
Devin Williams, signed to a three-year, $51 million contract. He was expected to set up Edwin Díaz, but Díaz signed with the Dodgers, moving Williams into the closer role.
Why is Peralta a fit for the Mets?
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns oversaw Peralta's development in Milwaukee from 2018 to 2023. Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA over 33 starts in his last full season.
What is Peralta's contract status?
He was owed roughly $8 million on a club option for the season, an inexpensive price for a frontline starter.