The right-hander, dealt away by the Mets at the trade deadline, started the Game 6 clincher and added a relief outing to seal the award.
The Rays are headed to the World Series, and the pitcher doing the heavy lifting is one the Mets gave up on. Freddy Peralta was named ALCS MVP after two starts, including the Game 6 clincher, plus a relief appearance along the way.
Peralta arrived in Tampa Bay via a trade deadline deal after a tenure in New York that did not work out. Since the move, his turnaround has been a major factor in the Rays' run through October, culminating in the series-clinching win that sent them to the World Series.
Peralta called the whole stretch surreal, saying simply, "This is crazy." Fitting, given the path: shipped out by the Mets, remade in Tampa Bay, and now headed to the sport's biggest stage carrying a conference MVP trophy.
The World Series now awaits, and it comes with an extra layer of storyline since Peralta's old team is the opponent on the other side.