The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series for the third time in franchise history, and a massive chunk of that momentum comes from a guy they snagged at the trade deadline: Freddy Peralta, who just got named ALCS MVP. This dude flat-out dominated, making it clear why the Rays are rolling into the championship round.
From Struggling Met to Postseason Ace
Seriously, this turnaround is wild. Before the trade deadline, Peralta was with the New York Mets, and it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. He pitched 113 ⅔ innings for them with a 4.99 ERA. Yikes, right? But the Rays saw something. They brought him in, tweaked a few things, like having him pitch from the stretch more, throwing more changeups, and raising his arm angle. Whatever they did, it clicked. With the Rays, between the regular season and postseason, he dropped his ERA to a stellar 2.75 across 72 innings. That’s a serious glow-up.
Clutch Performances That Changed Everything
Peralta wasn’t just good, he was *clutch*. He held the Cleveland Guardians to just one run over 5 ⅓ innings in the Game 6 clincher on Monday. Think about that: one run in the game that sends you to the World Series. Overall, in the entire ALCS, he allowed only one single run in 12 innings spread across two starts and one relief appearance. He even tossed six shutout innings in Tampa’s Game 2 win.
But his biggest moment might have been that Game 4 relief appearance. He came in during the sixth inning with the tying run on base and the go-ahead run at the plate. Talk about high-pressure! What did he do? He retired Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter, preserving a one-run lead that eventually turned into a win. Peralta appeared in three of Tampa’s four ALCS wins, which tells you everything you need to know about his impact.
So, what’s next? Peralta, a 30-year-old, is going to be a free agent after this season. You know this ALCS MVP performance just put a ton of zeroes on his next contract. First things first, though, he’s got to try and help the Rays beat his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, in the World Series. He even said, “Milwaukee is the team and the city that gave me the opportunity to make my dream.” Neither the Brewers nor the Rays have ever won a World Series, so we are guaranteed a first-time champion in 2026. This is gonna be epic!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply