The Tampa Bay Rays went into the trade deadline acting like a team with a real shot. With the best record in the American League, they pushed in chips and tried to build for October, and a few of those moves have already paid off.
Liam Hicks has been exactly what Tampa Bay wanted at the plate. The catcher/first baseman has brought strong production and given the Rays the kind of support they were looking for behind their Big 3 of designated hitter Yandy Diaz, first baseman Jonathan Aranda and third baseman Junior Caminero.
The bullpen addition, right-handed reliever Tyler Wells, has also delivered. He’s helped lock down the bridge to closer Bryan Baker, who is in the middle of a historic run saving games.
But the move that was supposed to give the rotation another boost has not worked out the same way. Starting pitcher Freddy Peralta has struggled badly since arriving in Tampa Bay, and right now it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll even be in the playoff mix.
Peralta came over after a rough stretch with the New York Mets, where he posted a 4.99 ERA and -0.4 bWAR. Even so, there was still hope he could rediscover the form that made him so effective in 2025, when he led the National League with 17 wins for the Milwaukee Brewers and finished with a bWAR of 5.5.
That rebound has not shown up yet. In four starts with the Rays, Peralta has a 7.17 ERA over 21.1 innings, with 16 strikeouts and six walks. His ERA+ sits at 59, and his FIP is 5.79.
There is some context there. His first two outings came in rough environments, first at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies and then against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park, both of them hitter-friendly settings.
He deserves some leeway for that schedule, but the results haven’t really improved. In his latest road start against the Baltimore Orioles, he allowed five runs in seven innings.
His lone start at Tropicana Field was cleaner from a hit standpoint. He gave up just one hit in 4.2 innings, though he was still charged with two earned runs after Garrett Cleavinger let both inherited runners score.
At this point, Peralta does not look like a playoff starter for Kevin Cash. He appears to be behind Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, and if Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax are healthy, both have been better than Peralta as well. Ian Seymour has also stepped up nicely as the No. 5 starter while the team has dealt with injuries.
The ideal scenario for Tampa Bay was simple: Peralta would make the decision difficult because he was pitching well. Instead, he’s made his own rotation spot hard to hold onto, and with Jax healthy and the staff at full strength, it’s tough to see him staying in the mix.
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Rays Suddenly Have A Bullpen Problem In A Tightening AL East Race
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What had looked like a manageable night turned into another frustrating finish when the bullpen could not protect the lead late. Tampa Bay has now dropped three straight, and in a race where every inning matters, the margin for error is shrinking fast. The Rays got encouraging signs from McClanahan, but they also saw how quickly one shaky relief outing can change the feel of a series. [Read more 🡒]