It was not third time’s the charm for Freddy Peralta.
The Mets pitcher faltered toward the end of his night Friday against the Rockies as he lost his third consecutive start and continued to struggle with his longevity.
Peralta pitched a scoreless four innings before surrendering control, as he allowed an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the fifth before giving up a go-ahead double from Jake McCarthy the following inning in the Mets’ 4-3 loss.
The righty had managed to get off relatively scot-free after loading the bases in the fifth but was pulled shortly after McCarthy’s RBI put runners on second and third.
He finished his night with eight strikeouts against seven hits in 5 ²/₃ innings, and acknowledged he’s putting “pressure on myself” to finish starts off.
“Mentally, I have to allow myself to keep trusting in the process. Because I feel amazing, man, I feel really good,” he said following the loss.
“Everything’s been great, like the work that I’ve been putting in every day. It’s just, whenever I get to the mound — just finish it. That’s it. And I know for sure that a lot of those are going to come.”
Peralta, whom the Mets acquired from Milwaukee in January, has lasted six innings just once in his six starts this season, while his current ERA (3.90) would be his worst over a full season since 2020.
Nonetheless, the Dominican pitcher said he felt good about Friday’s performance aside from not finishing the sixth, and, more importantly, has the backing of his manager.
“I mean, he did it once already, so he’ll get there,” Carlos Mendoza said of Peralta lasting six innings. “He’s an ace. Yeah, I’m not worried about that.”
Mendoza conceded that Peralta, who also walked three batters Friday, does try to be “too perfect” at times, but said he has been “pretty solid” in general.
The pitcher’s teammates also did him few favors with their lack of run support prior to their short-lived offensive burst in the eighth — when he had already been replaced by Sean Manaea.
