ST. PETERSBURG — Right-hander Freddy Peralta will take the mound Tuesday night against the New York Mets for the first time since the Trade Deadline deal that sent him to Tampa Bay, carrying a month’s worth of mechanical adjustments and a six-scoreless-inning gem in Detroit that validated his turnaround.

“Obviously, I feel different mentally and physically. I feel really comfortable right now, because I was working on a lot of stuff when I was in New York but I couldn’t make the adjustment until I got here,” Peralta said from the Rays’ dugout. “The more important thing is now I am in the spot that I want to be.”

Peralta went 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for the Mets, a far cry from the All-Star and National League Cy Young Award candidate he had been with the Milwaukee Brewers. His hits and walks climbed while his strikeouts dropped as he lost the extension on his signature fastball. Peralta acknowledged he “let them down” in New York but said the pressure of pitching there was “just part of the game” and not a factor in his struggles.

The Rays acquired Peralta on Aug. 2 for a trio of well-regarded prospects — right-hander Gary Gill Hill, infielder Émilien Pitre and outfielder Aidan Smith. His Tampa Bay debut on Aug. 4 at Coors Field was rough, but he has shown steady improvement under pitching coach Kyle Snyder and bullpen coach Jorge Moncada, tweaking his release point, regaining his extension and throwing his changeup far more often. Last Wednesday in Detroit, he held the Tigers to two hits over six scoreless innings after allowing five runs over seven innings in his previous outing in Baltimore.

“Because it was the first time that I was struggling like that. But I never give up,” Peralta said. “I was always trying to find a way to feel better, to pitch better, and I knew what I can do and I was feeling good physically, too, and healthy. But I couldn’t make the adjustment.”

Manager Kevin Cash said the club has been pleased with Peralta’s progression and expects the trend to continue in the middle game of the Mets series. “I expect that Freddy’s going to go out and do what he’s been doing for us, and that’s compete at the highest level possible,” Cash said. “I’m sure he’s excited to see some buddies over there and pitch against them, but he’s done it before, coming from Milwaukee to New York.”

“The good thing is that, now, I’m different,” Peralta said. “I feel different, and I’m ready to keep going until the World Series, hopefully.”

Peralta is scheduled to take the mound Tuesday night against his former teammates, with the Rays looking to build on his recent form as the club pushes deeper into the second half.