The New York Mets are in a deep slump, carrying a nine-game losing streak into Saturday's matchup with the Chicago Cubs—their longest skid since 2004. The frustration continued Friday night with a 12-4 loss, a game where the Cubs' explosive offense, which has scored 10+ runs in three straight, quickly put the game out of reach.

Now, the pressure mounts for Saturday's contest. To halt this slide, the Mets are handing the ball to Freddy Peralta. While his first few starts in a Mets uniform have been a mixed bag, his last outing was a quality six-inning gem. More importantly, he has a history of success against these Cubs from his days with the Milwaukee Brewers. New York desperately needs that "Brewers version" of Peralta to show up and cool down Chicago's scorching bats.

He'll face a familiar foe in Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon. For Peralta to deliver, he'll need to navigate a lineup featuring red-hot hitters like Nico Hoerner and Moises Ballesteros, who delivered the crushing blow Friday. However, the rest of the Cubs' order has historically struggled against him, offering a glimmer of hope for the Mets.

This game represents a critical opportunity for the Mets to stop the bleeding and regain some momentum. A strong, stopper-like performance from Peralta could be the spark they need to finally get back in the win column and change the narrative of their season.