“Nightmare”: Mets’ Freddy Peralta Regret Comes Back to Haunt Them as Steve Cohen Watches the ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays evened the American League Championship Series at 1-1 with a Game 2 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Tropicana Field on Tuesday. Mets owner Steve Cohen was in attendance, and the presence of former Met Freddy Peralta on the mound added a notable storyline. Peralta, who was surprised when asked about Cohen's presence, said, "I don't even know if he came just to watch the game or maybe me too," and described their relationship as positive, noting that Cohen had texted him after the Mets acquired him and that the two stayed in good communication during spring training. Peralta also praised the owner, saying, "I think that he's awesome."

Peralta's trajectory with New York was a sharp reversal from his 2025 season with the Milwaukee Brewers, when he finished 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA, 204 strikeouts across 176.2 innings, and a fifth-place finish in NL Cy Young voting. The Mets acquired him the following offseason and took up the final year of his contract to strengthen their rotation. In 2026, however, he posted a 4.99 ERA across 113.2 innings with 113 strikeouts. By August, with the club at 62-76 and out of postseason contention, the Mets traded him to Tampa Bay at the deadline for three minor-league players.

According to the report, Peralta's struggles in New York were partly attributed to losing the delivery mechanics that made his fastball effective, including arm angle and extension. With the Rays, pitching coach Kyle Snyder and his staff helped restore that extension, adjust his pitch mix, increase use of his changeup, and improve command. He finished the regular season 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts with Tampa Bay, and was 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA in September, earning AL Pitcher of the Month honors. In the postseason he allowed one earned run over 4.2 innings against the Yankees.

In Game 2, the Rays built control of the contest after an error by Jose Ramirez in the fourth inning and a two-run single by Liam Hicks. Peralta's 99.4 mph fastball and six scoreless innings sustained that advantage. Commentator Adam Schein, speaking on New York Post Sports, called the scenario "a nightmare" for Mets fans. The outing underscores Tampa Bay's reliance on Peralta during its postseason run, while the Mets must weigh a season that ended in disappointment and the decision to trade a starter who has performed well since leaving New York.