Freddy Peralta, the Tampa Bay Rays' starter for Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees, lasted just 4.2 innings on the night, allowing one run on a long ball from Ben Rice. But that scarcely mattered, even in a matchup against Cam Schlittler, the frontrunner for the 2026 AL Cy Young award.

Peralta got the run support he needed from the Rays hitters, with Tampa Bay scoring four of their five runs on the night in a 5-2 win over the Yankees in the fifth inning. The Yankees felt as though they had to pull Schlittler from the game after just 76 pitches after he had allowed two runs to cross the plate.

Putting runs on the board against Schlittler is no mean feat, and Peralta knows it. After the game, the Rays starter tipped his cap to his teammates, crediting them for being aggressive against the Yankees ace.

“I think that we are amazing in general, man. These guys, you can see the confidence when they are going to the plate, doing the little things in every at-bat. I think that the confidence, you can tell the confidence when they are stepping on the bus. I'm really proud of them, and you know, I enjoy with them. Together,” Peralta told reporters after the game, via Ryan Bass of MLB TV.

#Rays Freddy Peralta on his Game 2 start and the way his lineup put pressure on Cam Schlittler in the win. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/pM28WL0veO

— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) October 6, 2026

Article Continues Below

The Rays do put pressure on the opposition by putting balls in play, and the Yankees defense floundered. New York committed four errors on the night, and Tampa Bay deserves the credit for putting them in a position to make those blunders.

Peralta also has to be feeling lucky about his fortunes this season. He went from underperforming for a disastrous New York Mets squad to pitching in the postseason for the Moneyball Rays. In 10 starts for the Rays in the regular season, he posted an ERA of 3.25 in 55.1 innings of work.

Now, the Rays need to win just one more game to dispatch of the Yankees and advance to the ALCS — with Nick Martinez leading the charge from the mound in Game 3 on Wednesday.