Rays excited to start 'Fastball Freddy' with World Series berth on line

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Oct 18, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

CLEVELAND — After a couple of starts to incorporate some suggested adjustments following his Aug. 2 acquisition from the Mets, Freddy Peralta ended up pitching pretty well for the Rays, going 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA over 10 regular-season starts and getting better as he went.

But under the tilted roof of Tropicana Field, well, we’ll let fellow Rays starter Drew Rasmussen describe it:

“What he’s done at home, holy smokes.”

Between four regular-season outings and Game 2 playoff starts against the Yankees and Guardians, Peralta is 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA. He allowed two earned runs to the Orioles on Aug. 16 and one or none in the other five.

That included six shutout innings against the Guardians on Tuesday, when he very much lived up to his “Fastball Freddy” nickname by hitting a career-high 99.4 mph and averaging a career-best 96.9.

That all matters, because the Rays will turn to Peralta, 30, to start Game 6 of the American League Championship Series Monday as they seek to clinch and celebrate their third World Series berth in 29 seasons and first since the pandemic-impacted 2020 campaign.

“Kudos to him,” Rasmussen said after Sunday’s 3-1 win in Game 5. “He’s been awesome to have around as a human being. He’s incredible. And he’s just so much fun to watch.

“I’m excited to watch what he does (Monday).”

Peralta worked in relief Saturday in Game 4 (his 12th career postseason experience), throwing nine pitches to get two of three batters out. Both he and manager Kevin Cash said the appearance would not impact him in Monday’s start.

The Guardians were not clear after Sunday’s game what their Game 6 pitching plans would be, but it sounds like it will be some form of a bullpen day for the third straight game.

Manager Stephen Vogt said only that right-handed ace Gavin Williams, who threw 70 pitches over five innings Thursday in Game 3, was “not an option.”

With rookie Parker Messick giving them only two innings in his start Sunday and forcing five relievers (including top high-leverage arms Hunter Gaddis and Cade Smith) into action, the Guardians are scrambling.

Friday’s postponement has the teams playing at least three, and potentially four, straight days, and they seem to be just about out of trusted arms. Lefty Joey Cantillo seems most likely to handle the bulk of the innings.

Asked after Sunday’s game about his Game 6 plans, Vogt said, “We don’t know yet. We have to look at everything after (Sunday). We’ll have a plan, but we’re not sure who’s going to take the ball first.”

Caminero’s bad luck

Junior Caminero had reason to smile Saturday night after doubling in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, a solid rebound from his four-strikeout performance in Game 3.

But he also was shaking his head over a 410-foot, fourth-inning drive that he — “100%” — and others thought was going out of the park but was caught by Petey Halpin against the center-field wall.

Camerino hit the ball at 110.7 mph with a 29-degree launch angle, per Statcast, which was launched in 2015. Of the first 180 balls Statcast tracked between 110-111 mph and between 28-30 degrees, 180 were home runs.

Junior Caminero hit that ball 110.7 MPH at 29 degrees.

Statcast history, 110-111 between 28-30 degrees.

180 previous balls. 180 previous HR.

Cash, who has played, coached (for Cleveland) and managed at Progressive Field, said the weather was a factor in Caminero’s bad luck.

“I have a lot of experience in this ballpark and know that it can be a little tricky on the cold nights,” he said. “Didn’t look like there was a ton of wind, but that cool air can knock it down a little bit.”

About Monday night

The Rays are turning back to their past for Game 6 ceremonial duties:

— The first pitch will be thrown by BJ Upton, the second overall draft pick in 2002 who played through some of the rough years to be a key piece of the 2008-12 Rays teams that included three playoff appearances, including a trip to the World Series in 2008.

— The national anthem will be performed by saxophonist BJ Jackson, who was a regular during the 2008 postseason and has appeared at several subsequent opening day and playoff games.

Plus, if you believe in omens, Oct. 19 is the date of one of the greatest team moments at Tropicana Field — when the Rays beat the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS to earn their first pennant.

As with other Rays 2026 postseason games, team-run parking lots on Monday will open at 3 p.m. ET (prepaid only) and stadium gates at 5, with a BOGO deal on beer, wine and soft drinks from 5-7.

Miscellany

Teams that take Game 5 of a best-of-seven series to go up 3-2 go on to win 46 of 69 times (66.7%). ... Yandy Diaz’s 25 postseason hits are third most in franchise history, trailing only Randy Arozarena (38) and Upton (27). ... The Rays are 0-3 in postseason Game 6s. ... Rays hitters have not made an Automated Ball-Strike challenge through their first eight postseason games.

____