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Freddy Peralta's recent struggles have followed him to his new club, as his initial appearance for the Tampa Bay Rays turned into a difficult outing. The right-hander, who was traded by the Mets just before Monday's deadline, had been expected to bolster the retooled New York roster but failed to meet those expectations, leading to his move to Tampa Bay.
In his first start for the Rays, Peralta managed to last only 3.2 innings, surrendering seven runs on nine hits, all of which were earned, including two home runs. He did record three strikeouts and issued one walk before being lifted in the fourth inning after facing a single batter, with Cam Booser taking over on the mound.
Among the damage was a three-run homer by Mickey Moniak in the third inning that evened the score at 5-5. Peralta's performance in Flushing had been underwhelming, with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.478 WHIP during his time with the Mets.
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Peralta expressed gratitude despite the disappointing tenure, writing on Instagram, "Although things didn't work out as we all hoped, I want to thank the fans, my teammates, and the Mets organization for the love that they showed me. I want to wish everyone the best on their journey." Mets manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged the pitcher's frustration, saying, "I know he's disappointed by it. He came here to anchor a rotation and felt the weight of that. From talking to him, he certainly doesn't feel like it went the way he hoped it would. I think we all feel that way. I think where we are today screams that we're all wishing we were in a different spot."
Originally reported by headtopics.