Peralta, the Brewers’ Opening Day starter who led the team in starts, innings, ERA and strikeouts, started — and won — Game 1 against the Cubs in Milwaukee. And he will be pitching on the standard four days’ rest thanks to the extra off day between Games 1 and 2 in this series.
That made Peralta a relatively straightforward pick, although the Brewers’ decision to delay an announcement with a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series left open the possibility of someone else trying to close out the Cubs in Game 4, while preserving Peralta for Game 1 of the NLCS in the best-case scenario, or for a Game 5 at home on Saturday in the worst.
Peralta and other Brewers pitchers have benefitted from extra rest in recent years, as doing that has become more the norm. More than half of Peralta’s 33 starts came on five days’ rest, and while the ERAs were similar, he benefited in other areas.
Four days’ rest
• 17 starts
• 5-2, 2.59 ERA
• .235/.317/.329
• .646 OPS
Five days’ rest
• 17 starts
• 10-2, 2.65 ERA
• .170/.257/.339
• .597 OPS
Six-plus days’ rest
• Four starts
• 2-2, 3.22 ERA
• .165/.239/.266
• .504 OPS
The present moment, however, made Peralta a clear pick — even if the game is in Chicago. Because Game 1 of the NLCS is not until Monday, he could still theoretically start Games 2 and 5 on four days’ rest should the Brewers advance to the next round, and he would be available in relief for a potential Game 7 on two days’ rest if the Brewers really want to push it.
“We need to win every game he starts, we really do,” injured Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff said after Game 1. “Then we can piece stuff together. But if he can drive the bus for us, it’s going to take us a long ways.”
Of course, the Brewers have to get past this NLDS first. The Cubs and their Game 4 starter, Matthew Boyd, will have something to say about that.
