During the playoffs at Wrigley Field last year, the crowd chanted “FRED-DY, FRED-DY,” trying to rattle Freddy Peralta, the opposing starter for the Milwaukee Brewers at that moment. This October, Chicago Cubs fans could be using the same chant in a much different tone.Peralta, now in the midst of a disappointing season with the New York Mets, is expected to be moved by Monday’s trade deadline. Peralta was scratched Friday afternoon from his scheduled start Friday night, as first reported by The New York Post and confirmed by a person briefed on the situation who was not authorized to speak freely on the subject. And he is one of several options the Cubs are targeting, according to people briefed on the club’s planning but not authorized to speak publicly about a fluid situation.Peralta, like every other pitcher available this summer, would represent a steep drop-off from Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, both in terms of potential impact and the cost to acquire a rental starter.The Mets are asking teams for a top-100 prospect and more in their early conversations with teams about Peralta, said people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity in exchange for candor.The Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies are also among the clubs that have shown strong interest in Peralta, according to officials briefed on the situation. Rotation-needy teams, however, are casting wide nets in those respective searches.At last year’s deadline, starting pitchers were in less supply, but two who were rentals and less accomplished than Peralta returned similar value to the Mets’ asking price.Outfielder James Tibbs III, who went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Dustin May deal last year, is now a top-100 prospect. When the Arizona Diamondbacks dealt Merrill Kelly, they received David Hagaman, Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake, who, respectively, are now their No. 3, 9 and 22 prospects, per MLB Pipeline. Both Kelly and May were impending free agents.Is a fire sale on the horizon for the New York Mets?Tim Britton and Reuben PinderThe Cubs are taking all of those factors into account as they attempt to close the gap in the National League Central and pass the Brewers.Any club that adds Peralta, 30, would be hoping that the two-time All-Star benefits from a change of scenery. After finishing fifth in last year’s NL Cy Young Award voting, he has gone 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for the last-place Mets. He is owed $2.4 million after the trade deadline and positioned to hit free agency this winter.The Cubs would offer an elite defense and game plans from a pitching group that has consistently delivered results amid waves of injuries. Chicago manager Craig Counsell, who has a good relationship with Peralta, is another obvious connection.Since Counsell left the Brewers after the 2023 season for a five-year, $40 million contract with a division rival, the Cubs have acquired a number of pitchers who previously worked with the manager in Milwaukee, a group that includes Colin Rea, Drew Pomeranz, Hoby Milner, Taylor Rogers, Bryse Wilson and Jorge López.In a market with a vast middle, the Cubs and Mets are among the smaller groups of clearly defined buyers and sellers. These two clubs already lined up for a deal in late June, when the Cubs gave up Class-A hitter Cole Mathis for lefty starter David Peterson, who had a 6.09 ERA the year after making his first All-Star team.Peterson has been solid in four of his five starts with the Cubs, beating the Brewers, Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals to give them a pre-deadline boost.A major-league hitter granted anonymity for his candid thoughts on Peralta described him as an “elite competitor,” predicting that he would figure it out in a playoff race with a few mechanical adjustments and a better defense on his side.Peralta’s strong reputation as a teammate, which is recognized throughout the game, is another reason the Mets are aiming so high at this point, though prices generally tend to drop closer to the actual deadline.