ST. PETERSBURG - Freddy Peralta, the Tampa Bay Rays’ trade deadline acquisition who posted a 0.79 ERA over his last six starts, takes the mound Monday at Tropicana Field against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series, with first pitch set for 8 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
Peralta, acquired from the Mets in August and named AL Pitcher of the Month for September after going 5-0 over his final six starts, has been particularly dominant at home. In four starts at Tropicana Field, he posted a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP. “Everything changed when I got traded,” Peralta said. “I’ve said it before, I’ve been treated here as a king. I feel really good about it.”
The Rays enter Game 2 in strong bullpen shape after Drew Rasmussen pitched eight innings and closer Bryan Baker finished the ninth in Game 1, leaving the full complement of starters - Griffin Jax, Ian Seymour and Nick Martinez - available in relief, along with setup arms Tyler Wells, Kevin Kelly and Cam Booser.
Opposing Peralta is Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner who led all Major Leaguers in road ERA at 1.16, road strikeouts at 129, opponent batting average at .153, opponent OBP at .206, opponent OPS at .456 and WHIP at 0.74 across 17 road starts. Schlittler went 8-2 in those outings and has previously noted that hostile road environments suit him - he said games at Tropicana Field usually feel like the Yankees are “kind of playing at home.” He faced Tampa Bay three times this season, posting a 1-1 record and 2.81 ERA, including an eight-inning, one-run performance at the Trop on July 6 in which he struck out eight without a walk.
Yankees catcher Austin Wells, who drove in two runs in the Wild Card Series win over Boston and has 17 RBIs over his last 25 games, said the pitching duel in Game 1 set the tone. “[Game 1] was a great game all around for the pitchers, both sides,” Wells said. “So I think we’re going to look forward to continuing that on our side, and hopefully get to their guy.”
New York is without Aaron Judge, who was left off the ALDS roster as he recovers from a right calf strain, though manager Aaron Boone called the decision a “close” call. Clarke Schmidt has been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason. For Tampa Bay, left-hander Shane McClanahan will not pitch in this series.
The Rays are asking fans to arrive early, with parking lots opening at 3 p.m. and gates at 5 p.m. All parking is prepaid only. Former Rays first baseman Carlos Pena, part of the club’s 2008 worst-to-first turnaround, will throw the ceremonial first pitch, and U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Jermaine Robinson will perform the national anthem.