Peralta Calls Facing Old Brewers Teammates in World Series "Amazing"

Freddy Peralta's road to the World Series runs straight through his past. The Tampa Bay Rays right-hander, affectionately known as "Fastball Freddy" during eight seasons in Milwaukee, will face his old Brewers teammates on baseball's biggest stage after a whirlwind nine months that saw him traded from the Brewers to the New York Mets in January and then to Tampa Bay in August. Speaking at World Series media day on Thursday, the newly crowned ALCS MVP did not hide the emotion. "Amazing," Peralta said. "A lot of emotions. I remember watching the Brewers play the day they made it to the World Series, and I felt so happy for them. But now I'm here...(to beat them)." Peralta revealed he texted some of his former teammates after both clubs clinched, and they replied, "We want to play against you guys because we want to see you there." He has been reborn in Tampa Bay, posting a 2.87 ERA in 10 regular-season starts and a 1.08 ERA across 16.2 postseason innings, including 5.1 strong frames to close out the Guardians in ALCS Game 6. With Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen penciled in for Games 1 and 2 in Milwaukee, Peralta is lined up for Game 3 at Tropicana Field — where he will try to beat the only other big-league family he has ever known.