If Sunday was Freddy Peralta’s final act with the Mets, it fairly represented his disappointing Queens tenure: a short and ineffective performance.
But another player imported from Milwaukee by president of baseball operations David Stearns left the larger imprint on the day.
That would be Tyrone Taylor, whose go-ahead homer in the sixth inning helped the Mets avoid a series sweep with an 8-3 victory over the Dodgers at Citi Field.
Peralta, who figures to depart ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline — he still could receive another start for the Mets next weekend — was facing a vaunted lineup.
But at the same time, he has slogged enough in recent weeks that maybe the opponent didn’t matter.
He unloaded 93 pitches over four innings and allowed three runs (one unearned) on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
It was Peralta’s fourth start in his last five in which he failed to complete five innings.
Did he consider that he may have pitched his final game for the Mets?
“I know it probably is,” Peralta said. “But I have to keep focus and keep giving the best of myself and if it happens, it happens. I am just thankful and grateful to be a part of this organization. I know so far I have let them down. I haven’t done what I am supposed to do, but I am grateful to be here.”
Outings such as Sunday’s might be acceptable from a fifth starter.
But the Mets acquired Peralta last winter as their purported ace and have watched him pitch to a 4.99 ERA as he prepares to enter free agency.
First, there is the likelihood that Peralta will finish this season pitching in a playoff race and hoping the fresh start returns him to the form he displayed in emerging as a Brewers ace.
“I know I can be way better than this,” Peralta said. “I still believe in myself. I am born to be a winner, not a loser, and I think I have a lot in me, a lot to show, and I know I can make it change because I still have time to make it change, to make it better.”
The Mets, who are 4-5 since the All-Star break, will receive another stiff dose of competition with the Braves arriving Monday.
The Mets finished 1-5 against the Dodgers this season.
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The Mets lineup rallied late in the team’s second game since losing Juan Soto to a calf strain that figures to keep him sidelined for most of the remaining schedule.
Taylor, mostly a weapon against lefties, delivered a three-run homer against right-hander Evan Phillips that resurrected the Mets following Peralta’s blah outing.
The Mets piled on in the seventh, with Marcus Semien’s three-run blast providing insurance.
A.J. Ewing’s bloop double leading off the first and Francisco Lindor’s ensuing single against Emmet Sheehan gave the Mets a 1-0 lead.
Peralta’s trouble in the third started with a leadoff double by Eliezer Alfonzo.
He struck out Shohei Ohtani on a 96 mph high heater, but walked Andy Pages before Freddie Freeman smashed an RBI double to tie it 1-1.
Max Muncy’s RBI groundout gave the Dodgers the lead.
Jared Young’s fielding error at first base led to the Dodgers scoring an unearned run in the fourth.
Peralta never broke to cover first base on the Kyle Tucker grounder, only adding to the sloppiness.
Alfonzo’s RBI groundout put the Mets in a 3-1 hole. Peralta’s day was complete.
“I thought there were a lot of foul balls,” interim manager Andy Green said of Peralta’s outing. “I thought there was great compete today and just the at-bats dragged on and on and it ends up less pitch efficient than we are hoping for and I know he is hoping for.”
In the sixth, Carson Benge and Luis Robert Jr. each walked before Taylor put the Mets ahead with his eighth homer this season.
Ewing walked in the seventh and scored on a passed ball, extending the Mets lead to 5-3. Before the inning was complete, Marcus Semien delivered a three-run homer.
“It’s not easy to not think about [the trade deadline],” Peralta said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business and I have to understand that.”
