The New York Mets have only played five games so far in 2026, but drama is already beginning to engulf the team. That’s thanks in large part to some contract drama involving starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, who the team picked up in a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Brewers over the offseason.
Reports indicate that New York and Peralta are far apart when it comes to negotiations on a long-term contract extension, which could present some problems for the front office. According to one MLB insider, though, the Mets may already have their backup plan in place, as they could make a hard push for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal if they determine they won’t be able to keep Peralta in town.
Tarik Skubal Rumors Picking Up Steam for the Mets
New York gave up a pair of its top prospects, Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, in exchange for Peralta and fellow pitcher Tobias Myers over the offseason. While Peralta was fresh off the best season of his career (17-6, 2.70 ERA, 204 K, 1.08 WHIP), the move was viewed as a bit of a risk, given that Peralta is entering his age-30 season and is going to need a new contract after the 2026 campaign.
Peralta wants a lengthy deal that, so far, the Mets have been unwilling to give him. Losing Peralta after giving up so much to acquire him would hurt, but the alternative of signing Skubal, who is also a pending free agent, looms large for New York and every other big-money team in the majors. Skubal is fresh off back-to-back Cy Young campaigns, and would be one of the few guys who is a surefire upgrade over Peralta.
Whether or not either of these guys will hit the open market is unknown, but it appears that is the way things are trending for the time being. With that in mind, MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post believes that if the Mets can’t retain Peralta, they will instead make a big push for Skubal in free agency.
“If the Mets can’t work it out with new ace Freddy Peralta, a nice consolation prize might be superstar Tarik Skubal, who like Peralta is an impending free agent,” Heyman reported. “Peralta and the Mets are substantially apart on terms, with Peralta telling The Post he seeks ‘seven or eight’ years. The Mets gave up a lot for Peralta, so it’d be nice to keep him.”
Should the Mets Pursue Tarik Skubal?
GettyStarter Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 22, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Skubal has turned himself into arguably the most consistent starting pitcher in the majors over the past two years, so you can bet that, if he hits the open market, he’s going to earn a monster contract. In 2025, Skubal posted a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA, 241 strikeouts, and a sparkling 0.89 WHIP. Those are numbers any team would gladly take from their ace.
Peralta is a great pitcher, and while it would be great to keep him around, if it’s between him and Skubal, every team is going to take the latter. Even if the Mets manage to reach a deal with Peralta, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to make a run for Skubal if he hits free agency. There’s still a lot of time between now and the start of the offseason, but New York may have some big decisions to make once the 2026 campaign comes to a close.
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