2026 World Series Game 3: Rays Turn to Former Milwaukee Ace Freddy Peralta to Halt Brewers’ Momentum
The 2026 World Series moves to St. Petersburg on Monday night as the Milwaukee Brewers arrive at Tropicana Field with a commanding 2-0 series lead and the weight of four decades of history behind them. For the Brewers, who had not appeared in a World Series for 44 years prior to this week, the path to their first-ever championship is now just two wins long. Standing in their way for Game 3 is a familiar face who has arguably become the most dominant pitcher in professional baseball over the last two months.
The Tampa Bay Rays will give the ball to Freddy Peralta, the right-hander who spent the first eight seasons of his career in a Milwaukee uniform. Peralta’s tenure with the Brewers included two All-Star appearances and seven different postseason series, making him a central figure in the very franchise he now seeks to defeat. Since August 26, Peralta has been nearly untouchable, pitching to a 7-0 record with a 0.89 ERA. His recent run of form earned him American League Pitcher of the Month honors for September and the ALCS MVP trophy, cementing his status as an October ace.
The Rays desperately need Peralta to replicate that dominance to avoid a 3-0 series deficit. While Tampa Bay has struggled to find its footing in the first two games of the series, returning to Tropicana Field offers a measure of comfort; the Rays finished the regular season with the best home record in the major leagues. However, they must overcome a Milwaukee bullpen that has been statistically historic throughout this postseason.
The story of the Brewers’ run has been the absolute reliability of their relief corps. In the first two games of this series alone, Milwaukee relievers have combined for 10 innings of work while allowing just a single run. That efficiency allowed the Brewers to withstand a four-run first inning by the Rays in Game 2 and eventually claw back for a victory. For the entire postseason, the Milwaukee bullpen has posted a 1.24 ERA across 50 2/3 innings. Left-hander Aaron Ashby has emerged as a frontrunner for World Series MVP honors, having surrendered zero runs in 15 2/3 innings of postseason work so far.
Beyond the pitching matchup, the Rays are focused on cleaning up the fundamental errors that plagued them in Game 2. Known all season for playing disciplined, “clean” baseball, Tampa Bay looked uncharacteristically sloppy in their last outing. The team recorded an official error by first baseman Jonathan Aranda, but observers noted several other fielding and baserunning miscues that helped Milwaukee secure the win. Junior Caminero addressed the team’s recent performance, stating that no one in the clubhouse was satisfied with the level of play over the last two days.
The Game 3 pitching matchup will feature Peralta facing off against Milwaukee’s Robert Gasser. For the Brewers, a win would place them on the verge of a historic sweep and a long-awaited coronation. For the Rays, the game is a must-win opportunity to utilize their home-field advantage and the arm of their most reliable starter to extend the series. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
