Freddy Peralta's tenure with the Rays is off to a rough start

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Freddy Peralta. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Freddy Peralta's tenure with the Rays is off to a rough start

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Aug 24, 2026 12:49 PM ET

Freddy Peralta was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline to bolster their rotation, but so far he's had four rough starts with the team and his previous struggles have carried over.

Across 21.1 innings pitched he's gone 0-2 with a 7.17 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Prior to joining the Rays, Peralta was sporting a 5-9 record with a 4.99 ERA across 22 starts with the New York Mets.

In his second start with the Rays on Aug. 10 he tossed six innings for the first time since June 6 and gave up three earned runs on six hits and one walk. It was arguably his best outing, but he's still looking for his first win as a Ray and has held a 6.7% BB and 18 % K.

While he's pitched six or more innings in two of his four starts, his durability issues are still an area of concern as he only pitched three and 1/3 innings in his debut and was charged with seven earned runs on nine hits. It is something he was struggling with prior to being dealt to the Rays, where fans have referred to him as "five inning Freddy.''

Freddy Peralta in his four starts with the Rays...

21.1 IP
7.17 ERA
1.36 WHIP
6.7% BB
18% K pic.twitter.com/dV5SG5mQ7u
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) August 24, 2026

The clock is ticking for Freddy Peralta to find his groove with the Rays

In his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 21 he pitched seven innings but gave up five earned runs (two home runs) while striking out six and picked up the loss in a 5-3 defeat.

While he was able to pitch deeper in the game it still was another rough outing for the two-time All-Star. The Rays are working with him to help work through his inconsistencies by making adjustments. For example, he showcased increased changeup usage in his Aug. 21 performance.

In his Aug. 16 start against the Orioles he utilized a fastball-heavy approach and he only allowed one hit across 4 2/3 innings of work, showing signs of progress. But the Rays still picked up the loss in a 10-2 smackdown from the Orioles.

It will be interesting to see if Peralta is capable of settling in with Tampa and providing the lift the team hoped for when acquiring him.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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