Let it be no surprise that Freddy Peralta was a highly impactful player for the Brewers last year. Serving as Milwaukee’s third-string starter in MLB’s deepest pitching staff, Freddy had the career year he’s been bound to have. This all came after three years in the bullpen/minors following a year in the rotation during his rookie season. It’s safe to say that without Peralta in 2021, the Brewers probably wouldn’t have won the division.
Peralta’s Statistics
At the young age of 25, this first-time All-Star produced an all-star stat line. In 144 innings pitched, he posted (a):
- 10-5 W-L Record
- 195 Strikeouts
- 12.2 Strikeouts/9
- 2.81 ERA
- 0.97 WHIP
- 5.2 Hits/9
- 4.0 WAR
- .165 Opponent BA.
- .232 Batting Average of Balls in play
- 85.6% Average Exit Velocity
Strikeout Freddy is known for his off-speed pitches. Slider, curve, and changeup. His slider is lights out. Most commonly thrown later in counts, the nasty movement Peralta implements on his put-away pitches allows for minimal contact.
Peralta exceeded expectations in 2021 and is projected to be just as solid next season. At times, he was even considered to be a dark horse CY Young candidate. Not many Brewers fans predicted he would be so good.
In early June, Peralta even had a No-No midway through the 8th inning and would have finished it if not for an icky call by Joe West (see below). Acquiring him from the Mariners in 2018 continues to look like yet another job well done for David Stearns.
It’s hard to find a negative in last season’s performance. It was nearly flawless. Freddy Peralta, who was mid-to-below average in the last few years, has solidified his spot in the starting rotation for future playoff pushes, all thanks to a breakout season that was a long time coming. Brewers Nation and the Crew can fully depend on another All-Star season from one of the nastiest pitchers in baseball.
Final Grade: A
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