Milwaukee sold him with tears in their eyes, but Freddy Peralta has been reborn as the ace of Tampa Bay! A World Series showdown against his former team

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A remarkably coincidental matchup is set to unfold. Right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta (30, Tampa Bay Rays) is about to face off against his former team, the Milwaukee Brewers, a club he had grown deeply attached to.

On the 20th (Korean time), at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA, Tampa Bay defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the "2026 Major League Baseball American League Championship Series (ALCS, best-of-seven series)."

With a series record of four wins and two losses, Tampa Bay secured their long-awaited berth in the World Series by eliminating Cleveland. This marks the franchise's third World Series appearance in its history, following 2008 and 2020. Having fallen short to the Philadelphia Phillies (2008) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2020) in those previous two attempts, Tampa Bay is now aiming squarely for its first championship trophy.

Tampa Bay's final opponent as they chase their first ring is the Milwaukee Brewers, who advanced by sweeping the "lavish squad" Dodgers in four straight games in the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The matchup between these two representative "small market" teams, which claimed the highest spot in the fall while seemingly mocking the astronomical spending of big-market clubs, is already generating significant buzz.

The meeting of two teams that represent Major League Baseball's low-cost, high-efficiency model is a massive upset in itself. According to FanGraphs.com, a U.S.-based baseball statistics site, Milwaukee's probability of winning the World Series as of the start of the 2026 season was a mere 2.1%. Tampa Bay's odds were even slimmer at 1.1%. Combined, the two teams' probabilities totaled just 3.2%. Yet here they are, facing each other in the World Series.

However, this series holds an even greater narrative that will shake the hearts of baseball fans: the fateful reunion between Peralta, the new heart of Tampa Bay's pitching staff and the ALCS MVP, and his former team, Milwaukee.

Peralta, who started Game 6 to seal the World Series berth, delivered a dominant performance, allowing five hits in 5⅓ innings while striking out three batters and giving up one run, becoming the key contributor to the team's victory. Having appeared in three games (two starts) during this series with a record of two wins, no losses, and an ERA of 0.75, he claimed the ALCS MVP trophy and firmly established himself as "Mr. October."

In reality, the fate of small-market teams in Major League Baseball is often cruel. Even if a player is a franchise star representing the team, once their salary skyrockets and free agency approaches, they must ultimately be let go with tears. Milwaukee could not escape this painful reality last winter either. In January, Milwaukee was forced to trade away Peralta, who had steadily supported the team's pitching staff for a long time. Peralta, who recorded 70 wins exclusively with Milwaukee from the 2018 season through the 2025 season, headed to the New York Mets, who had pressed the "win-now" button. It was widely assessed as a painful loss for Milwaukee.

However, Milwaukee did not crumble. Relying on a solid system and relentless bullpen baseball, they subdued the Dodgers and secured their World Series ticket first. But the opponent waiting for Milwaukee was another small-market powerhouse, Tampa Bay, and standing at the forefront was none other than Peralta, whom they had sent off with tears. Having been traded from the Mets, who had dropped out of the fall postseason race early, Peralta has transformed perfectly into Tampa Bay's ace. He is enjoying the best fall of his career while aiming directly at his former team.

Milwaukee batters must overcome the torrential fastballs of a former teammate they cheered for from behind the bullpen just months ago if they are to win the championship ring. Similarly, Peralta must bring down with his own hands the former team where he once shed blood and sweat while dreaming of the fall in order to reach the highest pedestal.

A matchup has materialized between a former ace who had to part ways due to financial limitations and his old club. The battle between two underdogs, now facing each other as enemies on the brightest stage of the World Series, is approaching.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original