Should Shohei Ohtani not come? The Los Angeles Dodgers, which have been on the verge of being upset in the Division Series for the third consecutive year, also faced an unexpected boomerang. Veteran outfielder David Peralta, 37, who played for the Dodgers last year, is wearing the San Diego Padres uniform this fall and hitting a critical hit in succession, drawing a dagger.
Peralta started as the seventh designated hitter in Game 3 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) of the 2024 Major League Postseason at Petco Park in San Diego, California on the 9th (Korea time), contributing to San Diego’s 6-5 victory by scoring one hit and two RBIs in three times at bat. San Diego, which has won two consecutive games after one loss, has only one win left to advance to the Championship Series. The Dodgers, who have won one and lost two games, are on the verge of being eliminated early for the third consecutive year.
Peralta’s one hit was a two-run double. At the bottom of the second inning when the score was tied 1 to 1, he pulled a four-seam fastball of 95.5 miles per hour (153.7 kilometers) deep into the body on the fifth pitch, leading to a two-run double that missed the right-field line.
San Diego added three more runs on Jake Cronenworth’s infield single to shortstop, Kyle Higashioka’s sacrifice fly to center field and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s two-run homer to left-center field in the continued offense. Peralta’s two-run double was recorded as the final hit as the bullpen took the lead.
In the second game of the NLDS held at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, Peralta rolled up Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty’s low 86 mph (138.4 km) slider at the middle of the fourth pitch with two outs and a third base in the top of the second inning when his team was leading 1-0, and marked a two-run homer. It was the homerun that laid the groundwork for San Diego’s 10-2 victory.
Peralta, who hit decisive long balls in two consecutive games in the second and third games, is a player who played for the Dodgers last year. Peralta, who has played for the Arizona Diamondbacks for nine seasons through 2022 since his debut in the big league in 2014, was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in July 2022. After the season, he was released as a free agent and signed a one-year, 6.5 million-dollar contract with the Dodgers.
As the starting left fielder at the Dodgers last year, he recorded a batting average of 259 (for 394) with seven homers, 55 RBIs and an OPS of .675 in 133 games. He displayed a batting average of 283 (60 for 212) in 74 games in the first half, seven homers, 32 RBIs and an OPS of .757, but only posted a batting average of 231 (42 for 182), and 23 RBIs and an OPS of .578 in 59 games due to pain in his left elbow. Even in the postseason, he had one hit, one strikeout, and one double play in six times at bat, showing lackluster performance.
After the season, he underwent elbow surgery, and the Dodgers gave up without renewing his contract with Peralta. As a result, Peralta’s market value also declined. He ended up signing a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs in late February. The Cubs had no chance to call up the big league, and he became an FA due to opt-out in mid-May before signing a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. Since then, Xander Bogaerts was placed on the injured list due to shoulder pain on May 23, and Peralta was called up.
Peralta, who only posted a batting average of 27% (12 hits in 58 times at bat) with no homers, four RBIs and an OPS of .544 in his first 30 games since the call-up, has taken the lead since July. Since July, he has played in 61 games with a batting average of 287% (51 hits in 178 times at bat) with eight homers, 24 RBIs and an OPS of .817. He has successfully filled the void left by Tatis Jr., who has been absent for nearly two months due to a thigh injury. He has continued his momentum through the post-season, making his former team cry.
In an official interview with Tatis Jr. after Game 3, Peralta said, “I found a way to return to the big leagues by starting the season with Triple-A this year. San Diego gave me a chance and believed that I could be of help to the team. Excellent coaches and teammates supported me. “This moment is special,” he said. “It’s hard to explain how good our clubhouse is. We are all united like brothers. We are a great team.”
“Ferralta hit a two-run double today (Game 3) after his second homer in Game 2. Peralta opened the door for both games,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said. “He was an amazing player in our team. During some periods when Tatis Jr. was out due to injury, Peralta played a big role in helping us get this far. He was really good. I shudder to think about where we would be without him. He continues to make good results.” 먹튀검증
