The 2026 World Series is set, as there will be a first-time champion when the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays settle a seven-game series in a very exciting matchup.
Speaking to the Tampa Bay Rays, their American League Championship Series MVP used to be a New York Mets pitcher, and Ex-Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta could become a World Series champion.
Ironically, the Brewers also tie into this Peralta scenario because he spent the first several years of his career in Milwaukee.
Anyway, if the Rays win the World Series, Peralta will earn a ring, and Peralta’s time (as many Mets fans remember) in New York was a bit sloppy.
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Freddy Peralta Was Traded from Mets to Rays
After a disastrous start to his tenure with the New York Mets led to the Mets falling in the MLB standings through the 2026 season, David Stearns was forced to trade Peralta because of his looming free agency and lack of production on the mound in a Mets uniform.
However, the twist is that the Mets were actually the one who traded FOR Freddy Peralta before the 2026 season to add a much-needed boost to the rotation.
Instead, Peralta boasted an ERA of 4.99 with the Mets this season over 113+ innings pitched.
Peralta was an All-Star starter in 2025, and coming off a career-best season, so leave it to the Mets to trade for an All-Star pitcher, said All-Star pitcher really underperforms, the Mets trade said pitcher, and then, finally, said pitcher goes on to shine with his new team and propel his NEW team to the World Series.
Across 55.2 innings with the Rays in 2026, Peralta carried an ERA of 3.25 and has turned in several solid outings in the playoffs.
On top of going to the World Series, Peralta is also earning a 50K bonus for becoming the ALCS MVP and is set for free agency next month.
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo wrote (after Peralta was traded):
“Freddy Peralta, a hyped offseason addition who wound up flopping in his brief tenure with the Mets and becoming a symbol of the last-place club’s shortcomings, is moving on to a contender. The Mets traded Peralta to the Rays for three prospects during Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the Marlins at Citi Field. The team will acquire outfielder Aidan Smith, right-hander Gary Gill Hill and second baseman Émilien Pitre, Tampa Bay’s 15th, 26th- and 27th-ranked prospects.”
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Ex-New York Mets Pitcher Could Become World Series Champion