Full disclosure, I am a lifelong Milwaukee Brewers fan and have been a huge Freddy fan since his debut gem against the Rockies in 2018 (almost exactly to the day that I am writing this!). Peralta was overshadowed by the big arms of Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, but finally has had the opportunity to enter the spotlight as the team’s true Ace. Being the Ace of a Major League team is obviously an enormous honor, but depending on the team, it does not necessarily mean that you are one of the best arms in the game. Some teams have 3 or 4 pitchers that would be a top-line hurler on many other clubs. As for Freddy, he is a true number one option.
Peralta, at just 28 years old, may be entering his prime. Now in his 8th season, Freddy has strived as a starting pitcher. In all three seasons where Peralta started 25 or more games, he has eclipsed 194 strikeouts. He has a career K/9 of over 11. Strikeouts aside, Freddy has managed to have a career ERA of 3.70 with a WHIP of just 1.14, both impressive lines. Despite these high K rates and low averages, Peralta has never exceeded 12 wins, going 12-10 in 2023 and 11-9 in 2024. Those are not eye-popping records, but in the case of King Felix and his Cy Young season in 2010, records are not all that matter. It does not help that the competition around him has managed to break records, like Chris Sale’s 2024 Triple Crown.
Now on to 2025. Peralta enters mid-May with a 2.18 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, both of which would be career bests. Currently, only Dodgers’ starter Yoshi Yamamoto and the Phillies’ Jesus Luzardo have a better ERA in the National League. As for the WHIP, Peralta sits 8th in the NL and 13th in strikeouts. Consistency is key, and these awards are not won in May. But once June and July roll around, people really, truly start talking.
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