The Mets have landed a long-coveted ace. 

Only hours after president of baseball operations David Stearns reaffirmed to reporters his desire to address the team’s starting rotation, the Mets acquired All-Star right-hander Freddy Peralta on Wednesday from the Brewers for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat, the club announced.

As part of the deal the Mets also received right-hander Tobias Myers. 

Peralta, who is entering his walk year, pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts for the Brewers last season, when he finished fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting after his second career All-Star appearance. 

The 29-year-old Peralta, who arrived to the Brewers in a trade with the Mariners during Stearns’ tenure heading the Brewers front office, gives the Mets the true ace they have lacked since trading Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer during the 2023 season. 

Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch during the first inning. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Over the past two seasons, the Mets had hoped Kodai Senga would develop into an ace, but the right-hander was sidetracked by injuries (and ineffectiveness last year that led to him finishing the season at Triple-A Syracuse) leading Stearns to say earlier in the offseason that Senga couldn’t be counted on as a top-of-the-rotation force. 

Myers, a swingman, appeared in 22 games last season (six as a starter) and pitched to a 3.55 ERA. 

Peralta’s key metrics include a hard-hit ball rate of only 34.5 percent, which ranked in MLB’s 90th percentile. Peralta’s strikeout rate of 28.2 percent (despite a fastball that rates only slightly above average) ranked in MLB’s 84th percentile. 

Williams was the Mets’ No. 3 prospect and a possibility for the major league roster at some point this season. Drafted as an infielder, he had shifted into a hybrid role, playing center field in the minors. 

Sproat began last season as the organization’s top pitching prospect, but was supplanted by Nolan McLean as the year progressed. Even so, Sproat debuted for the Mets last September and pitched to a 4.79 ERA in four starts. 

It leaves the Mets with rotation pieces heading to spring training that will include Peralta, McLean, Senga, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and David Peterson.

Brandon Sproat was sent to the Brewers. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

Others in the mix include Christian Scott and Jonah Tong. Scott missed last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and the rookie Tong debuted for the club last September. 

The Peralta splash occurred only hours after the Mets introduced Bo Bichette at Citi Field. The Mets signed Bichette last week to a three-year contract worth $126 million (that includes two opt-outs) after missing on Kyle Tucker, the top free agent on the market.

Tucker received a four-year deal worth $240 million from the Dodgers, prompting the Mets to pivot to Bichette, who will shift from shortstop to third base. 

Tuesday night the Mets addressed center field by acquiring Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox for Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley.

Robert is deemed a Gold Glove potential center fielder with a high ceiling offensively who has underwhelmed the past two seasons in large part because of injuries. 

Stearns’ overhaul of the roster began in November, when he traded Brandon Nimmo to Texas for Marcus Semien. At the Winter Meetings, the team lost stars Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso to free agency (to the Dodgers and Orioles) and shortly afterward traded Jeff McNeil to the Athletics for a minor league pitcher. 

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In between, the team signed Devin Williams (who will assume the closer’s role) and Luke Weaver for the bullpen. The Mets also signed Jorge Polanco to play first base — a position at which he’s appeared only once in the major leagues — with the idea his powerful switch-hitting bat will help compensate for Alonso’s loss.