Game 3 of the World Series is kicking off tonight, and get this: Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, who spent eight years with the Milwaukee Brewers through their best run ever, is now facing his old squad on the biggest stage. Talk about a full-circle moment, right? The Brewers are already trying to expand their World Series lead to 3-0 against Peralta, who was the American League Championship Series MVP.
Peralta’s Return and His Unstoppable Run
Peralta, a right-hander, was with the Brewers for eight years, a time that saw the franchise’s best stretch of success. He pitched his final game for them in the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers just a year and 12 days before he got traded from the New York Mets to the Rays at the deadline. Brewers manager Pat Murphy totally gets the vibe. He said earlier today that there’s “a lot of emotion because those guys know each other so well, so you gotta keep that emotion under control.” But he’s also a realist, adding, “It comes down to pitches, it comes down to you and the ball, not so much you and the pitcher. So I don’t look at that as an advantage or disadvantage.” Murphy even tossed out a classic baseball story about Eric Sogard, his “Soda Boy” from college, who beat him in his first-ever managerial win. It’s just how baseball goes, Murphy said.
But let’s be real, Peralta’s numbers are straight-up terrifying for any opponent. After joining the Rays, he rocked a 3.25 ERA over 10 regular season games. In the playoffs, he’s been even nastier, giving up just two earned runs in 16⅔ innings, with 12 strikeouts and seven walks, for a ridiculous 1.08 ERA. And if you zoom out even further, his last 11 appearances, including both regular season and playoffs, show an absolutely mind-blowing 0.88 ERA over 50⅔ innings. This guy is locked in.
Robert Gasser’s Counter and the Confidence Game
On the other side for the Brewers is Robert Gasser. He’s had two strong postseason outings himself after rolling through a promising September. Gasser’s been on a roll, allowing just seven earned runs in 41⅓ innings over his last eight outings, including the playoffs, which puts his ERA at a solid 1.52. In the playoffs alone, he’s given up just one earned run in nine innings. Murphy sounds confident in his guy, saying Gasser “found himself a little bit uncertain of himself and then got a little more certain, so I think it is something that is a matter of confidence, and his confidence is in a good spot.” But, as always, it comes down to execution: “Now you’ve got to execute pitches.”
So, you’ve got Peralta, who’s been literally unhittable recently, squaring off against his old teammates, while Gasser, riding a wave of confidence, tries to shut down the Rays. Game 3 in the World Series, Brewers pushing for that commanding 3-0 lead. This isn’t just a baseball game; it’s a battle of wills, stats, and pure emotion. Get ready!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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