From Milwaukee to Midtown (Via Zoom): Freddy Peralta Embraces the Mets Spotlight

By now, Mets fans have learned a new daily routine for January: breakfast, walk the dogm check email, Zoom press conference, repeat. This month has featured so many introductory media availabilities that it’s starting to feel less like Hot Stove season and more like baseball speed dating . Today’s installment brought us the newest face in that familiar little Zoom rectangle — Freddy Peralta — and if the Mets were hoping to introduce someone who sounds unfazed by bright lights, pressure, or the occasional New York noise complaint, they picked the right guy.

Peralta, officially welcomed as the newest member of the New York Mets, came across as equal parts reflective, energized, and quietly intense. The trade, he admitted, hit him hard at first. Milwaukee was home. It was where his entire big-league story had been written. “It was surprising at the beginning,” he said, acknowledging that it was “a little hard” to leave behind a place filled with memories. But he didn’t linger there long. “This is business,” Peralta said plainly, adding that he was prepared for the moment and, ultimately, “really happy… to be here in New York and represent the New York Mets organization.”

When asked about New York itself, Peralta didn’t dance around the obvious. Bigger city. Bigger market. Bigger spotlight. And, to him, bigger opportunity. “There’s a lot more fans, a lot more people watching,” he said, before zeroing in on what seems to motivate him most. “I like the competitiveness that we’re gonna face here.” For a pitcher who has already navigated All-Star selections and postseason baseball, the idea of heightened expectations sounded less like a warning and more like an invitation.

That theme came into sharper focus when I brought David Stearns’ name into the conversation — specifically, the fact that Stearns has now traded for Peralta twice. Once as a 19-year-old prospect. And now, more than a decade later, as an established All-Star. When I asked Peralta whether that level of confidence from the same general manager allows him to pitch with even more belief in himself, his answer was immediate and heartfelt. “Yes, man,” he said, before explaining that the moment had already become a family conversation. Being traded for twice by the same GM, he said, brought a lot to mind, but above all it reinforced his commitment to himself, to the game, and to the responsibilities he carries every day. “When I put all that together,” Peralta said, “that’s what I see… I feel proud to be here and be part of the New York Mets team.”

The follow-up question was about pressure — specifically whether Peralta’s extensive postseason experience would help him navigate the uniquely intense environment of pitching in New York. Peralta didn’t hesitate. “It’s going to help me a lot,” he said, noting that playoff baseball exists on a different level altogether. In fact, he suggested that New York might feel like that all the time. He recalled Opening Day 2025 against the Yankees and how the energy felt “crazy,” even for a season opener. “I think that’s what I feel every five days in New York,” he said. For Mets fans, that sentence probably landed somewhere between reassuring and thrilling.

Other reporters filled in more layers of the picture. Peralta was asked whether he suspected Stearns would be at the front of the line to acquire him again. Peralta admitted he was “50-50,” aware that other teams were involved, trying — unsuccessfully — to tune out the rumor mill. Still, he had a feeling something was coming. On the topic of a potential contract extension in a walk year, Peralta pumped the brakes. He emphasized that he just got here and wants to learn his teammates, coaches, and the organization before worrying about anything beyond pitching.

Leadership came up next, with a reporter relaying Stearns’ praise of Peralta’s clubhouse presence. Peralta described his leadership style simply: be himself, every day, regardless of wins, losses, or personal performance. He talked about growing up trying to help people and make their days better, believing that when you put all that together, “everything goes better.” He said he plans to bring that same energy to New York, already noting calls from teammates eager to welcome him.

Those calls, it turns out, came from just about everyone. Tyrone Taylor FaceTimed him. Francisco Lindor reached out. Sean Manaea. Francisco Alvarez. Juan Soto. “All of them,” Peralta said, smiling through the screen. “They welcomed me really well… it makes me feel really good.” The word “family” kept popping up, and it didn’t sound rehearsed.

When asked about his current workouts with Luis Severino, it opened the door to some lighter moments. Yes, they work out together daily. Yes, they’ve talked about New York. And yes, Peralta was told he’s going to feel great in January — which, given the city’s reputation that month, might be the boldest prediction of the press conference.

When asked about pitching in front of New York’s massive Latino and Dominican fan base. Peralta lit up. He called it a “huge challenge” in the best possible way, referencing the hunger to win that he feels is deeply ingrained. “We just want to win,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to work for.”

Durability, too, became a focal point late in the session. One of only nine pitchers to make at least 95 starts over the last three seasons, Peralta spoke with pride about health and availability. “That’s the number one important thing for me,” he said. Be ready every five days. Take the ball. Trust that if you do that 30-plus times a year, “something good is going to be on the line.”

As the Zoom boxes began to disappear and another January press conference entered the Mets’ growing archives, Peralta left behind a clear impression. He’s not overwhelmed. He’s not tiptoeing. He understands exactly what New York is — the noise, the expectations, the constant spotlight — and he seems genuinely eager to step right into it. If these daily Zooms are the appetizer, Freddy Peralta made a convincing case that the main course might be worth the wait.

Here is the press conference in it's entirety :