The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series, and trade deadline pickup Freddy Peralta was named the American League Championship Series MVP.
Peralta was a two-time All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewers, but was traded to the New York Mets in the offseason. He posted a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts with the Mets. The Rays took a chance on him at the deadline, and it paid off better than anyone could have hoped.
Peralta had a rough start with the Rays, but in his final six regular season starts he had a 0.79 ERA, and in four postseason outings he has posted a 1.08 ERA. He went from looking like he cost himself a major payday to once again looking like a player bound to sign a nine-figure deal in free agency.
The current version of Peralta will draw tons of interest in free agency, and he has made it known that he would love to stay with the Rays.
"I would like to stay with this team," Peralta said after Game 6, per Héctor Gómez. "They have treated me very well; I love pitching in this stadium, and the fans are the best in the world."
The Rays worked hard to get Peralta to pitch like an All-Star again. They had him pitch exclusively from the stretch, moved him to the third base