The New York Mets are off to a rocky start this season, and with the first week of May already behind them, the pressure is mounting. If the team can't turn things around soon, the trade deadline could bring some tough decisions to Queens.

No one wants to see a fire sale—least of all the Mets front office—but reality has a way of forcing your hand. When a season spirals, even the best-laid plans can unravel, and that's exactly where the Mets find themselves right now.

Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden recently weighed in on potential starting pitcher trade candidates for The Athletic, and one name stands out: Freddy Peralta. The 29-year-old righty was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers this past offseason in a blockbuster deal designed to fuel a World Series push. But as Bowden notes, "nothing has gone according to plan thus far, though Peralta hasn't been the reason for the team's poor start."

That's the twist. Peralta has been solid, even as the team around him stumbles. But here's the hard truth: he's an impending free agent. If the Mets miss the postseason, they'll have traded away prospects to Milwaukee for just one season of Peralta's arm. That's a tough pill to swallow.

Rather than let him walk for nothing this winter, the smart play might be to flip him to a contending team hungry for starting pitching. Sure, they probably won't get back everything they gave up, but a deadline deal could still bring in a decent prospect haul. In a seller's market, a reliable arm like Peralta's carries real value.

For a Mets team staring down a disappointing season, listening to that kind of advice isn't just sensible—it might be necessary. Sometimes the best move is knowing when to pivot, even when it hurts.