Sep 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Brewers Ace Ranked High Among 2025 Playoff Pitchers

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers won a franchise record 97 games during the regular season, had the best record in Major League Baseball and cruised to their fourth National League Central title in the last five years. The postseason kicked off on Tuesday with the Wild Card Series matchups. The Brewers await the winner of the series between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs.

Regardless of who they face, they will start the NLDS at home as the top seed in the National League, and Freddy Peralta will get the ball in Game 1 on Saturday. They will have had a few days off to prepare for the series.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently ranked all 12 postseason aces, and among them, Peralta was ranked fourth.

Brewers Ace Ranked High Among Playoff Starters

"The Brewers won an MLB-best 97 games despite not really having a superstar.

Freddy Peralta was probably the best overall performer on a team where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts, going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 204 strikeouts over 176.2 innings pitched," Kelly wrote on Tuesday.

"The two-time All-Star has a 4.00 ERA across 18 innings in his playoff career, so like some of the other names on this list, he's looking to make his postseason resume look more like his regular season one."

The Brewers pitching staff has taken a few hits due to injuries in recent weeks. Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff may not be back in time for the NLDS. They still have Quinn Priester and Jacob Misiorowski behind Peralta.

But Peralta may be the X-factor for Milwaukee as they try to compete for their first ever World Series title. He has been their ace this season, going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and 5.5 WAR in 33 starts over 176 2/3 innings of work. He also struck out 204 batters and posted a 1.075 WHIP.

Peralta has postseason experience, but will be looking to right the ship for Milwaukee, as he has never had much October success. He'll face a tough offensive opponent, regardless of who advances between the Padres and Cubs. The Brewers will have home field advantage, and Peralta pitches well at home.

It will be interesting to see how Peralta fares in his Game 1 start on Saturday as the Brewers try to make a deep October run.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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