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Freddy Peralta 2025 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Minor Step Back Shouldn’t Detract From SP2 Value
On the surface, Freddy Peralta had a similar season in 2024 as he did in 2023. Back-to-back seasons with 200+ strikeouts and at least 30 starts aren't anything to be sniffed at. Given Peralta managed to lower his ERA from 3.86 to 3.68 last year, it might seem strange to suggest Peralta took a step back. But his underlying numbers did regress in 2024. Peralta's 3.93 xFIP and 3.78 SIERA (3.42 xFIP and 3.45 SIERA in 2023) last year hints that he was a little fortunate with his ERA. And while Peralta's 27.6% K% ranked in the 81st percentile, it was a drop from 30.9% K% in 2023. Only two other pitchers enter 2025 on the back of consecutive 200+ strikeout seasons. While the other two are being drafted as SP1s, Peralta is currently being taken as an SP3. If 2024 was a down year, Peralta should have no issue outperforming his ADP. Peralta is also in the final year of his contract so if that's something you value, a career-year could be incoming. Assuming Peralta performs similarly to the last two seasons, he is more than capable of being a top-20 starter this year.
