AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 3, 2026

Freddy Peralta

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Postgame 1 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Freddy, thanks for taking the time. We appreciate it.

Q. Freddy, can you explain your thoughts from where you were when you were with the Mets before the trade to now you're starting Game 2 of the American League playoffs at home for the Rays against the Yankees?

FREDDY PERALTA: Definitely, I was there, and I was happy there. Obviously, I wasn't in the spot I wanted to be when I talk about, like, how my numbers were over there.

But this is baseball. Everything change when I got traded. I said it before that I've been treated here as a king, and I feel really good about it. They're working me really well here.

For me and my family, this is a great opportunity to be able to be the pitcher for the second game in the ALDS.

Q. Cash said he told the starters it was going to be all hands on deck tonight. When did you realize you were going to be getting Monday and Ras would make it to where you weren't needed tonight?

FREDDY PERALTA: We got together, and we were all ready for tonight just in case, but we knew when we were sure that Drew was going to be himself tonight. But I was available for any situation. But knowing and understanding that Monday probably was going to be my opportunity and, you know, I just got the news today after the game.

Q. Freddy, with how good Drew was against the lineup, obviously one of the best pitchers in the world. What do you pick up from what he did against the Yankee group you can apply to Game 2 on Monday?

FREDDY PERALTA: I believe we are different type of pitchers. Obviously, what I'm going to take from him is whether he was attacking the hitters, how he was using the put-away and all that, you know. Obviously, they are great. They have a great lineup, and it's a lot of credit for Liam and him because they were able to navigate through the lineup and make a lot of weak contacts and he got a lot of strikeouts, too.

Q. Freddy, who helped turn your season around once you got to Tampa? Who was the biggest help?

FREDDY PERALTA: Wow. I believe it was Kyle because the information and the way he communicated to me, it was the right way to do it.

Q. What was the biggest thing he said to you?

FREDDY PERALTA: To trust myself and forget about the past. It was a new beginning when I got here.

Q. Freddy, you pitched well pretty much everywhere since the last couple weeks, but you've been especially good here in this building. What do you like about pitching at the Trop and how much are you looking forward to a playoff start here?

FREDDY PERALTA: I feel amazing on the mound, and in general here, but I'm looking forward to finding a way to give the opportunity to the team to get the win. No matter how. Don't matter what I have to do or how I have to do it. Just to find a way to get it done.

Q. You said before when you got to pitch in the playoffs, it was always a special opportunity for you. How special will it be for you to get to do it here?

FREDDY PERALTA: Very special because since I got here I felt something I was looking for, which is the energy, the way that the boys play the game, how they -- when they get into -- like, when I talk about the defense, they are amazing, the way they come into the field, the way they take their bats, too, when I talk about the offense.

It's amazing, and I just -- we just need to keep it that way. Simple.

Q. (Question in Spanish.)

THE INTERPRETER: So the question was, you know, obviously, the conversations had to take place with Freddy starting Game 2 on Monday night. But that lines him up to potentially be the starter for the fifth or sixth game. What does that mean to him and potentially for him to be in that type of situation?

Freddy's answer was just, hey, I'm going to take it day by day. I'm focused on Monday night. The rest of the team is taking the game day by day and ready for the next one. We're focused on Monday.

Q. (Question in Spanish.)

THE INTERPRETER: So the question was, again, going back to potentially being in that fifth or sixth starter role. Just the responsibility that Freddy feels to be given that type of role.

Freddy says it's a great deal of responsibility for him, and it means a whole lot to him to be in that position just because baseball is his love. Baseball is what he loves most in life. It means so much to him, to his family, and he knows that there's a lot of people counting on him in the locker room so he wants to do best for himself, his family, and everybody wearing the Tampa uniform.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Appreciate it.