ST. PETERSBURG -- “Fastball Freddy” was at it again on Monday night at Tropicana Field, where the continuation of his remarkable October helped send the Rays to the World Series.
Freddy Peralta tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Tampa Bay’s 7-3 clinching victory in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series vs. Cleveland, also earning ALCS MVP honors in the process. The 30-year-old right-hander previously tossed six scoreless innings in the Rays’ 3-1 Game 2 win and recorded two outs of heroic relief in a 7-3 Game 4 victory.
Peralta joined right-hander Matt Garza (2008) and outfielder Randy Arozarena (‘20) as Tampa Bay players to have won ALCS MVP. Arozarena, who now plays for Seattle, was in the crowd at The Trop on Monday to cheer on his former team and old friends.
Across Peralta’s three ALCS appearances, he recorded a 0.75 ERA with nine strikeouts in 12 innings. His increased fastball velocity was key to both of his starts, as he set new career highs (regular season or postseason) for pitches of 97-plus mph in each of those showings -- 29 in Game 2, then 33 in Game 6.
After getting traded from the Mets to the Rays on Aug. 2, Peralta completely turned around his season. The righty had a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts for New York, then posted a 3.25 ERA over his final 10 outings of the regular season for Tampa Bay. Peralta also had a solid showing in Game 2 of the AL Division Series vs. the Yankees, tossing 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball.