Why The Mets Must Find A Way To Keep Jose Peraza

This huge homer forced extra innings, before Jeff McNeil sent everyone home in the bottom of the eighth with a walk-off two-run single.

And although Hader had not blown a save or allowed a homer all season, the key for Peraza was his familiarity with the dominant reliever, having faced him a number of times in the NL Central during his four-years with the Cincinnati Reds.

“I spend the whole game pretty much preparing for a moment like that,” Peraza said. “I faced him several times when I was with Cincinnati and that’s how he would beat me, he would beat me with fastballs. So that was what I was expecting him to throw there because he’s a tremendous pitcher and he has a tremendous fastball.”

Astoundingly enough, five out of Peraza's six home runs, and 10 of his 18 RBIs on the season have either tied the game or given the Mets the lead.

He has also been extremely productive as a pinch hitter, going 4-for-9 with 2 doubles and a home run.

“You have a guy like Peraza, you expect him to do something, which is exactly what happened,” said Mets manager Luis Rojas following the 4-3 walk-off victory. “He hits the homer. Every at-bat, I think everyone that goes out there, we’re expecting something to happen.”

Peraza helped the Mets complete a wild comeback win in the first game of Sunday's Subway Series doubleheader with the Yankees as well, when he smacked a go-ahead two-run double as a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh.

The 27-year-old's vast big-league experience saved the Mets earlier in the season, filling in at second base for McNeil, who was out for over a month with a hamstring strain.

Now, Peraza has officially eclipsed the five-year MLB service mark, which means he can decline an option if the Mets try to send him to the minors when Davis returns.

But the Mets cannot risk losing him given the value and clutch prowess that he has brought to the club. 

Once Davis returns, the Mets are going to have a very tough decision to make and it could potentially come down to Peraza, or Luis Guillorme. 

While Guillorme has seemingly solidified his spot on the Mets, he has an option left, and Peraza is making way too much of an impact to jettison off the roster.