Milwaukee Brewers fans will see a familiar face when Freddy Peralta takes the mound to start Game 3 of the World Series for the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, Oct. 26, at Tropicana Field.

Peralta, who spent his first eight seasons with the Brewers, has been especially good for the Rays lately, with a 7-0 record and a 0.89 ERA in his last 10 games, including nine starts, since Aug. 26.

The 30-year-old right-hander was named ALCS MVP after taking a shutout into the sixth inning of Game 6 as the Rays eliminated the Cleveland Guardians with a 7-3 win to advance to the World Series.

Now, Peralta will have a chance to pitch in the World Series against former teammates and players he still considers friends.

"Amazing," Peralta said on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 22, during World Series media day. "A lot of emotions. I remember watching the Brewers play the day they made it to the World Series, and I felt so happy for them. But now I'm here."

Here's what to know about Peralta ahead of Game 3:

When did Freddy Peralta pitch for the Brewers?

Peralta made his Brewers debut as a 21-year-old when he took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies while setting a Brewers' rookie record with 13 strikeouts. He was the Brewers' youngest starting pitcher since Yovani Gallardo in 2007. 

In Peralta's eight seasons with the Brewers, he went 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA and had 1,153 strikeouts, second in franchise history behind Ben Sheets. He also had two All-Star Game appearances.

How did Freddy Peralta end up on the Rays?

In January, Peralta was traded from the Brewers to the New York Mets for minor-leaguers Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams. He struggled in New York, posting a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts with the Mets and was traded to the Rays in early August for three minor-league players.

How has Freddy Peralta pitched for the Rays?

After a rough stretch with the Mets, Peralta has turned his game around with the Rays. He has performed especially well at the Rays' home stadium, recording a 1.45 ERA with 31 strikeouts and 14 walks in 37⅓ innings over seven starts at Tropicana Field since joining the Rays.

How did Freddy Peralta perform for the Brewers in the playoffs?

Peralta became the first Brewers player to appear in six postseasons when he pitched in three games for Milwaukee last season, including a Game 2 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. He allowed three runs on five hits in 5⅔ innings, with four strikeouts and a walk.

He had other notable postseason appearances for the Brewers, including four shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the National League Division Series in 2021. He also threw a perfect eighth inning against the Mets in Game 3 of the 2024 wild-card series before Pete Alonso's late-game home run lifted New York to a 4-2 win.