The Trade That Changed Everything

In the world of professional sports, teams are often scrutinized for their decisions, especially when it comes to trades. However, if someone claims they knew the Seattle Mariners made a big mistake by trading Freddy Peralta to the Brewers over 10 years ago, they’re being dishonest.

Peralta was part of a trade package sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in December 2015 in exchange for Adam Lind, a former Silver Slugger who had previously received American League MVP votes. Now, Peralta is making headlines again after being traded to the New York Mets, a team hoping he can help revitalize their rotation and overall performance.

A Career Year for Freddy Peralta

What makes this situation significant is that Peralta recently had a career year, setting personal bests with a 5.5 bWAR (the highest in the National League), 17 wins, a 2.70 ERA, and a 154 ERA+. He also proved to be durable, recording career highs of 33 starts and 176.2 innings pitched. His performance earned him an All-Star selection and a fifth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting.

Regretting the Trade

This has led many Mariners fans to wish that Peralta was still in Seattle, even considering that the team’s rotation was already strong. Adding to the disappointment is the fact that Lind, who was acquired in the trade, produced a career-low -0.3 bWAR in his single season with the team and was out of baseball after 2017.

However, any opinion that the Mariners made a mistake can only be formed with the benefit of hindsight, and even then, not until several years after the trade.

The Context of the Original Trade

At the time of the trade, Lind was coming off a 2015 season where he had a career-high 3.6 bWAR and hit 87 RBI, which was tied for the second-most of his career. He was a utility player with experience at designated hitter, first base, and left field, and was expected to help boost a team under new manager Scott Servais.

On the other hand, Peralta was one of three minor league pitchers sent to Milwaukee, and he wasn’t seen as a top-tier talent. Baseball America ranked him as the Mariners’ number 15 prospect ahead of 2016, with little projection left. The publication described him more as a back-end starter or reliever than a future ace.

Jerry Dipoto’s Early Days as GM

It’s also worth noting that Jerry Dipoto, who was a fan of Lind, was only a few months into his role as the Mariners’ general manager at the time of the trade. At that point, there was no indication of what Peralta would become, even in 2019 during his second season with the Brewers, when he struggled with a -0.7 bWAR, a 5.29 ERA, and a 1.459 WHIP.

It wasn’t until 2021 that the 29-year-old finally showed his true potential, earning his first All-Star selection. Now, he’s set to be the staff ace on the big stage in New York, with the chance to secure a significant payday when he becomes a free agent after the 2026 season.

The Final Verdict

While it’s understandable to regret the Mariners not keeping hold of Peralta and to criticize Lind for having his worst season in Seattle, don’t try to claim you knew at the time that Peralta would become a star pitcher. Such claims would be rightly dismissed as false.