There were a lot of heroes in the Yankees’ five-game series win over the Cleveland Guardians. But none as unlikely as LHP Wandy Peralta.
Not only did the 31-year-old veteran give Aaron Boone and his club a lift in the bullpen but he made history Tuesday night by becoming the first pitcher to appear in all five games of a Division Series.
“Thank you for telling me that. It's something, right,” Peralta responded through the team’s interpreter when he was told of the mark after Game 5. “But, you know, like when you take up this journey as a little kid, you know it's going to be a lot of work. So I think that's why I was able to do it, just concentration and the work. So excited about it, and yeah, it's a moment there for me for sure.”
The journeyman is pitching in just his second season -- first full -- with the Yankees after New York acquired him from the San Francisco Giants at the start of the 2021 season for OF Mike Tauchman. He started his career with the Cincinnati Reds where he spent three-plus seasons before going out west and ultimately landing in The Bronx.
Even this season, while he was solid -- pitching to a 2.72 ERA in 56 appearances -- he was placed on the Injured List with a back injury that threatened his spot in the postseason. He worked his way back and not only made the roster but became an integral part of Boone’s plans, getting the final out in Games 4 and 5 of the ALDS.
“You put so much work into this, into the whole season, and the assignment right there at that moment, like you said, just getting the last out, it's hard to explain,” Peralta said of getting the final out. “It's such an exciting moment being able to win there. Not enough words to describe.”
While not all five appearances in the ALDS were great -- that ninth-inning meltdown in Game 3 hurt -- Peralta gave a Yankees bullpen with a ton of injuries and question marks stability and even pitched in three straight days. If Game 5 wasn’t rained out, it’s likely Peralta would have pitched in four straight.
Peralta said as much after Tuesday’s game. “I want to pitch every day,” he said. “They give me that opportunity and I get that ball. I want to be pitching.”
Clay Holmes, who became the Yankees closer after Aroldis Chapman’s struggles earlier this season before his own struggles caused Boone to have a closer-by-committee, has seen Peralta’s willingness to pitch every day firsthand.
“There’s a lot of guys in there who want the ball. Wandy throws all five games, he’s a guy who just wants the ball and that type of attitude rubs off on all of us,” Holmes said after the game.
“He wants the ball…to throw all five games with multiple ups. That's pretty remarkable at this point in the season knowing where people are at. He pitches with a lot of heart and it shows out there.”
That includes Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday, in which the Yankees will have their hands full with the Houston Astros.
But even throwing four games in five days won’t stop Peralta from wanting to help his teammates. He made it known that he’s willing to pitch Wednesday, but that will be Boone’s call. However, seeing Peralta’s performance in the ALDS, it’ll be hard to tell him no.
“I'll be able to pitch tomorrow,” Peralta said. “We've worked so hard, we've prepared so much to be able to have an opportunity at this point in the season.
“We were able to win this series, and now we have an upcoming series, brand new, upcoming series. But it's going to be exciting, and we're going to be right there, and I want to be able to pitch.”