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The Milwaukee Brewers have made it official, right-hander Freddy Peralta will be their Opening Day starter for the second straight season.
Manager Pat Murphy dropped the news on February 14, the very same day pitchers and catchers arrived at spring training in Phoenix. Peralta will take the ball on March 27 in the Bronx, squaring off against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, likely facing their ace, Gerrit Cole.
The 28-year-old didn’t see it coming. Murphy casually mentioned it to him in passing, catching him off guard. “I was in the hallway yesterday, coming back from working out, and he just told me, ‘Hey, I just did this,’” Peralta recalled. “I was like, ‘Hey! It’s not even the first day!’”
But while the news surprised him, Peralta is fully embracing the responsibility. “I want to keep it my [whole] career,” he said. “You never know how long it's going to be, but it's something I feel good about.”
Peralta’s 2024 season was a strong one. He put up an 11-9 record with a 3.68 ERA and hit the 200-strikeout mark right on the dot over 173 2/3 innings, both career highs. He was one of just 11 pitchers in all of MLB to reach 200 punchouts last year. And with the Brewers cycling through a franchise-record 17 different starters, his consistency was a lifeline for the rotation.
His rise in Milwaukee has been remarkable. Over the years, he’s made 178 appearances, including 129 starts, since bursting onto the scene with a dazzling 13-strikeout debut against the Rockies on Mother’s Day in 2018. He’s evolved into one of the team’s most dependable arms, earning an All-Star nod in 2021 and stacking up 200-strikeout seasons.
Nevertheless, consistency has been a challenge for Freddy Peralta, as his 2024 campaign saw fluctuations in performance. He won three of his first six starts but managed just one victory over his next eight outings. July was a grind, with five starts and zero wins. But he made a comeback in August, picking up three victories in five starts. However, he couldn't finish the season on a high note, as he failed to pitch past the sixth inning at any start in September.
When the postseason rolled around, the Brewers turned to their Opening Day starter, giving him the nod for Game 1 of their NL Wild Card series against the New York Mets. He lasted four innings, allowing three runs in an 8-4 loss. He later returned in relief for a scoreless eighth inning in Game 2, but it wasn’t enough to save the Brewers from elimination.
With longtime shortstop Willy Adames now with the San Francisco Giants, Peralta will have to step up as a leader in 2025, and for that, he will need to stay healthy, and he knows that. “That’s the most important thing for a starting pitcher,” he said. “There will be ups and downs, but I just need to stay steady, keep on track as much as possible, and everything will be fine.”
Now entering his eighth big-league season, Freddy Peralta is one of the longest-tenured players on the Brewers. His next big milestone is hitting 200 innings. If he can do that, it’ll be great for a team looking to secure its third straight NL Central crown.
With their Opening Day starter leading the charge, the Brewers are counting on him to set the tone for another playoff run.
