Dominican Freddy Peralta wins Championship Series MVP as the Rays advance to the World Series

TAMPA. — The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 on Monday night at Tropicana Field to clinch a berth in the 2026 World Series, led by Dominican pitcher Freddy Peralta, who was named Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series.

With the win in Game 6, Tampa Bay took the series 4-2 and captured the third American League pennant in franchise history. The Rays will now play for the overall championship against the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.

Peralta shone on the mound in the decisive game: he worked five and a third innings, allowing only one run, five hits and striking out three to earn the victory. In his three series appearances he posted an undefeated 2-0 record with a 0.75 ERA and nine strikeouts in 12 innings of work.

The Dominican becomes only the third Rays player to win Championship Series MVP honors, joining pitcher Matt Garza (2008) and outfielder Randy Arozarena (2020). The story has a special twist: Peralta will face his former club in the Fall Classic, having spent eight seasons with Milwaukee before moving through the Mets and joining Tampa Bay in August.

Tampa Bay's offense also had Dominican protagonism: Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and Cuban Yandy Díaz added another two-run shot in the ninth to seal the win before the home crowd.

The 2026 World Series begins this Friday, October 23, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The Rays and Brewers, two franchises that have never won a Major League title, will look to make history.

Photo: Comunidad Informativa

Source: El Seis / Canal 6.