By Dan Martin
The Mets could sure use another starting pitcher 鈥 as well as a few other additions to their bullpen and lineup 鈥 and Wednesday鈥檚 starter for the Brewers in their win in the first game of a doubleheader at Citi Field, Freddy Peralta, would seem to fit the bill.
The right-hander is having another standout season and the Mets saw firsthand how effective he can be in a 7-2 loss, with Peralta, who improved to 9-4 with a 2.91 ERA, allowing just two runs and a pair of hits over six innings.
But before the Mets 鈥 or the Yankees 鈥 look too far ahead about bidding for the 29-year-old, they have to start winning some games.
Because for all the history Milwaukee has of trading good players before they get paid too handsomely, the Brewers are just as much in playoff contention these days as the Mets, a half-game apart in the NL wild-card standings.
The Mets got a boost from an unlikely source in the nightcap of Wednesday鈥檚 doubleheader, as Blade Tidwell 鈥 considered the Mets鈥 fifth-best pitching prospect 鈥 was solid for four shutout innings before faltering in the sixth inning of a 7-3 win, when he gave up back-to-back homers.
Carlos Mendoza called Tidwell鈥檚 performance 鈥渉uge鈥 and the bullpen provided 4 虏/鈧 scoreless innings, but the Mets could use some help.
After stifling the Mets, Peralta was asked about the prospect of being moved by the trade deadline, which is in less than a month.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what to say,鈥 Peralta said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 happened in the past [with the Brewers] and I don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 gonna happen. I focus day to day to do what I can on the field every five days. There鈥檚 always gonna be comments around.鈥
Especially after Milwaukee traded another ace, Corbin Burnes, to Baltimore prior to last season.
Unlike Burnes, who made $15.6 million in his final season before he was shipped out of Milwaukee, the Brewers have a team option worth $8 million for Peralta for next year.
The Post鈥檚 Jon Heyman wrote recently that the affordable remaining contract makes it 鈥渁 long shot鈥 Peralta gets traded.
Still, if the Mets don鈥檛 right themselves soon, they might not be linked to many high-profile trade acquisitions.
Prior to the win in the nightcap on Wednesday, the Mets were in a historically bad stretch, having dropped 14 of their previous 17 games, including a minus-31 run differential in the past four losses, the third-worst mark over a four-game stretch in franchise history.
The battered pitching staff continued to struggle, while the offense was silent, scoring just six runs over those four most recent defeats before breaking out in a five-run second inning in the victory in the second game.
Mendoza said he thought his team had some 鈥渄ecent at-bats early off Peralta.鈥
But the manager added, 鈥淥nce we got down it was quick outs.鈥
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes him who he is,鈥 Mendoza said of Peralta. 鈥淲hen he鈥檚 in trouble, you鈥檝e got to clip him. Right now, we鈥檙e having a hard time doing that. 鈥 They did it. They got the bases loaded and hit the big one [a grand slam by Joey Ortiz off Reed Garrett in the sixth inning]. We haven鈥檛 been able to do that and to be able to beat guys like [Peralta], you have to do it.鈥