Freddy Peralta Faces Brewers With Rays' Season at Stake

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Freddie Peralta Faces Former Team With Tampa Bay’s Season on the Line

Freddie Peralta must step up against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, to keep Tampa Bay’s postseason hopes alive. Peralta joined Tampa at the trade deadline and has since pitched some of his best baseball of the season, possibly even the best of his early career.

Five innings could be the deciding point for Peralta. If he completes five, Tampa Bay may win; if he falls short, the outlook becomes much more difficult. With no Mizarrowski or Henderson, the Rays appear to have a good opportunity, but oddsmakers remain unwilling to make Milwaukee an underdog because the Brewers continue to battle back.

Tampa Bay may not feel comfortable until the final three outs are recorded with Baker on the mound. The Rays have struggled to get the game to him, and they may need to take an all-hands-on-deck approach by using Baker in the eighth inning if they have a lead.

The Rays also face a daunting historical challenge after losing the first two games in Milwaukee. The last team to win the World Series after dropping its first two games on the road was the 1981 Dodgers, who lost twice in the Bronx before beating the Yankees in four straight games. Each of the last 17 teams to fall behind 0-2 in the World Series went on to lose the series.

Under regular-season circumstances, this matchup in Saint Petersburg might have made Tampa Bay a -130 or -140 favorite. The Rays have a good pitcher on the mound and are playing at home, but the Brewers’ postseason performance makes it difficult to offer plus odds on Milwaukee.

The beginning of the game will matter, but simply playing from ahead may not be enough for Tampa Bay. The Rays recently held a lead and still failed to finish the job. They must keep the game close and find a way to produce against Gasser and Milwaukee’s group of left-handed pitchers.

Murphy’s bullpen decisions in the sixth and seventh innings will also be important, especially if Gasser lasts only three or four innings. Tampa Bay must eventually find a way to hit Ashby. Otherwise, he could pitch in every game and emerge as an MVP candidate. His current form has been nearly unhittable, continuing the level of performance he showed against the Dodgers.