Freddy Peralta struggled to maintain his performance in the late innings as the New York Mets fell 4-3 to the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, marking his third consecutive loss. The right-handed pitcher delivered a scoreless four innings but began to lose command in the fifth, allowing an RBI on a fielder’s choice. In the following inning, he gave up a key double to Jake McCarthy that helped the Rockies take the lead.

Peralta managed to strike out eight batters and gave up seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. Despite leaving with runners on second and third, he was pulled from the game and expressed frustration with his inability to finish starts more consistently. “Mentally, I have to allow myself to keep trusting in the process,” he said after the game. “I feel amazing, man, I feel really good. It’s just, whenever I get to the mound — just finish it. That’s it.”

Since joining the Mets in January from the Milwaukee Brewers, Peralta has struggled with his durability, having reached six innings in only one of his six starts this season. His current ERA sits at 3.90, which, if maintained, would represent his highest for a full season since 2020. Nonetheless, the Dominican pitcher remained positive about his recent performance and emphasized the support he receives from the team.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza expressed confidence in Peralta’s abilities, acknowledging the pitcher’s occasional tendency to be “too perfect” but praising his overall consistency. “He did it once already, so he’ll get there,” Mendoza said regarding Peralta’s goal of lasting six innings. “He’s an ace. Yeah, I’m not worried about that.”

Offensively, the Mets provided limited support for Peralta, which compounded the pitcher’s challenges on the mound. The team managed a brief scoring surge in the eighth inning after Peralta had been replaced by reliever Sean Manaea. With the defeat, Peralta’s efforts to establish greater endurance remain a focus as he looks to improve his performance moving forward.