ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Before World Series Game 1 this past week in Milwaukee, as the Rays and Brewers convened along the American Family Field foul lines, a video detailing each team’s route to the Fall Classic played on the scoreboard. When it flashed to a clip of Freddy Peralta shutting down the Guardians in the American League Championship Series, a stadium camera cut to Peralta on the field.
As the sold-out crowd offered him a warm round of applause -- a rare concession to a visiting player, let alone during the World Series -- Peralta looked up and broke into a wide grin.
More than a decade after the Brewers acquired Peralta in one of the most profitable trades in franchise history, Fastball Freddy is still an icon in Milwaukee, an adopted son. But that is not his role this week. Instead, Peralta is a Ray, tasked with bringing Tampa Bay back from a 2-0 hole Monday night in Game 3 of the World Series against his former team.
“He was our ace. He was our guy,” said Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick. “He was just a huge part of this culture and city. But I think we kind of knew at some point he was going to be somewhere else.”
The fact that “somewhere else” happened to be the team the Brewers are now facing in the World Series is, of course, a fantastic coincidence. It’s also a classic case of two things being true: The Brewers really want to beat Peralta. The Brewers also really like Peralta.
“I love that kid, man -- I just do,” was how Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy put it. “If you’re around him every day, like, this kid is just joyful. It’s just a beautiful spirit that comes to do his job.”
When the Rays acquired Peralta from the Mets at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline, Willy Adames, a former Ray and Brewer, messaged Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash to tell him, “You’re getting one of the best.” That has long been Peralta’s reputation: a glue guy capable of helping teams bond.
Yet earlier this year, following an offseason move to the Mets, Peralta’s composure briefly cracked. What began as a string of inefficient starts spiraled as Peralta tried to recover his old form. On June 9, Peralta allowed six earned runs to the Cardinals. Eleven days later, the Phillies tagged him for a career-high 10. Less than two weeks after that, Peralta gave up five more runs in a loss to the Blue Jays, which seemed to dent his resolve. After that game, Peralta needed a long moment to compose himself before facing reporters’ questions. When he finally spoke, Peralta admitted: “I don’t feel good.”
He wound up producing a 7.34 ERA in nine starts leading up to the Deadline, which did surprisingly little to dampen his market value. Rivals, including the Rays, believed in the longer track record of Peralta’s career -- which included two All-Star seasons and a fifth-place finish in NL Cy Young voting in 2025. The Rays felt they could fix him. The Mets gave them that chance, dealing Peralta for three prospects.
“I started losing a little bit of confidence,” Peralta said. “But then, you know, everything changed.”
In Tampa Bay, Peralta labored alongside pitching coach Kyle Snyder to reestablish himself. In addition to moving to the third-base side of the rubber, Peralta ditched his windup, raised his release point and worked to move more powerfully down the mound -- increasing his extension and the perceived velocity of his pitches. Peralta also increased his changeup usage while reducing his reliance on breaking balls. He began throwing his fastball more frequently at the top of the strike zone. Although Mets officials claim that they asked Peralta to make many of the same changes, the Rays broke through to him with their messaging.
By the time Peralta faced the Orioles two weeks after the Deadline, he was feeling enough like his old self to become a significant part of Tampa Bay’s pennant push. Over his last 10 outings, including three playoff starts and a relief appearance, Peralta is 7-0 with an 0.89 ERA.
That the biggest game of Peralta’s life will come against his longtime employer only adds to the whirlwind of his past two months. Before the World Series began, Peralta spent time catching up with old friends, reliving old memories. Between him and his former team, there is no ill will.
But there is a mutual desire to win. A few days before the World Series was set to begin, Brandon Woodruff considered shooting Peralta a text.
The two had been friends since 2016, Peralta’s first season as a low-level Brewers Minor Leaguer. They climbed up the ladder one after the other -- with Woodruff first reaching the Majors late in 2017, Peralta early the following year. Together, they spent time bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen. They relied on each other during those impressionable early years.
“I’ve seen his ups and downs,” Woodruff said. “He’s seen mine. I’ve seen everything with Freddy.”
Ultimately, Woodruff put down his phone without sending the text.
“This is a big moment,” he said. “It’s just one of those deals. If I see him on the field, I’ll go give him a big hug and talk to him. But other than that, we’re trying to beat each other, for sure.”