Can Peralta solidify the Tampa Bay rotation?

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Officials of the Tampa Bay Rays hope that righthander Freddy Peralta’s stellar effort on Aug. 26 at Detroit was not an aberration. After all, the Rays hoped the 30-year-old could step into the rotation, deliver production and effective power innings.

Following a trade from the New York Mets to Tampa Bay on Aug. 2, Peralta appeared to continue his marginal results leftover from his days with the Mets. With New York, he was a marginal 5-9 in 22 starts and appeared to walk the plank.

In his first four starts for Tampa Bay, Peralta went 0-2 and two no-decisions. Then, he turned in that game-changer in Detroit

From all indications, he dramatically made a transformation and two-time All-Star left the mound at Comerica Park on that late August afternoon a changed pitcher. In that game, he retired 18 of the 20 hitters he faced and earned his first victory for Tampa Bay.

That effort carried over to his next start and that was against the New York Mets, his former team, on Sept. 1 at home. After turning in that glittering effort against the Tigers, Peralta dismissed the notion that he had extra incentive to defeat his former team.

“I felt a little motion, but it’s baseball and I was just competing out there,” he said after gaining a 6-2 victory over New York and raising his Tampa Bay record to 2-2. “I did see some of those guys, but I tried to stay focused and make my pitches. Right now, everything is working great. Mechanically and the extension is where I want these to be. The confidence I have now is important. I have my confidence back and I think that’s a more important thing for a pitcher. That’s when you trust your staff and I feel like a superhero when it’s working.”

The effort against the Mets could have been reserved for the stretch drive.

After New York lead-off hitter Francisco Lindor lifted a 3-2 curve over the right field fence and an early 1-0 Mets lead, Peralta appeared to buckle. After a double and single put runners on second and third and one out also in the first, Peralta then settled in and struck out Jared Young. Brett Baty then flied to left to end the frame.

From that point, Peralta retired 17 of the next 18 hitters and the only runner to reach base was Nick Morabito, who was hit by a pitch with two outs in the second. Going forward, Peralta returned the next 13 in a row. In that first inning, he labored through 25 pitches. In the remaining five innings, the most he threw was 13 pitches in both the second and fourth innings.

“His velocity spiked and that was a nig factor,” offered manager Kevin Cash. “After the first, he really got in sync with his delivery and the strike zone. (Peralta) is pitching with a great deal of conviction right now. Result can get more conviction. That’s what we’re seeing from him right now. Plus, that was the best fast ball he’s given us.”

After dropping a 3-2 decision in the opening game of an early September series to the Mets, the Rays should resiliency and bounced back. Coupled with the Red Sox loss to Seattle, the Rays increased their AL East-leading margin to eight games over Boston on Sept. 1

In quicky turning fortunes around, Victor Mesa, Jr. came off the IR and chipped in a 3-for-4 night and two runs scored, Yandy Diaz contributed with a 2-for-4 night, a pair of extra base hits, including his 21st home of the season in the sixth with the bases empty.

And the beat goes on … With an RBI single in the first and 2-for-5 game against the Mets on Sept. 1, Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero had hit safely in a career-best 15 games. That is behind the club mark of 20 straight games set by Yandy Diaz in 2024. This is the longest active streak currently in the majors and the longest by a Tampa Bay player since Chandler Simpson’s 18-game hitting streak last season.

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