The first query in the interview room went to Fernando Tatis Jr.
So did the second, third and fourth.
David Peralta smiled broad and pumped his fist a bit as the dialog lastly turned to him, kidding the 25-12 months-previous celebrity seated to his proper in Petco Park’s fourth ground convention room after the Padres’ 6-5 win.
Peralta, a 37-12 months-previous journeyman, is so completely happy to be right here.
To be again in the playoffs. To be with the Padres. To be in baseball in any respect.
“It means a lot to me, especially the way I started this year,” Peralta mentioned after his two-run double helped key the Padres’ solely rally in a Game 3 win over the Dodgers in the NLDS. “I … gotta go play in Triple-A and try to find a way back to the big leagues. And finally, the San Diego Padres gave me an opportunity and believed in me that I could help the team do this. I’m just grateful, especially being around this great guy and all of my teammates. They all supported me, believed in me.
“It’s a special moment being in this position now and (doing) my part to help to win for the team.”
Peralta’s path is exclusive in large-league baseball. He flamed out as a minor-league pitcher in the Cardinals system, hit his means to the large leagues years later with the Diamondbacks and performed 9 years in Arizona earlier than bouncing from Tampa Bay to the Dodgers.
His profession reached a important crossroads after final season, when he required a flexor tendon restore in his left (throwing) elbow after enjoying via the harm since the All-Star break.
Peralta signed a minor-league take care of the Cubs in February, started the season on Triple-A Iowa’s injured checklist and had a .689 OPS in 20 video games when he was lower free in early May.
The Padres picked up Peralta a week later, despatched him to Triple-A El Paso and recalled him earlier than the finish of the month as a left-handed bat to assist off the bench as the group pieced collectively how to deal with Xander Bogaerts’ shoulder fracture.
The want grew to become fairly a bit larger when that “great guy” to his proper late Tuesday night time, Tatis, hit the injured checklist on June 24 with a stress response in his proper femur.
Only Peralta was hitting .196/.297/.232 via his first 64 plate appearances with a group that had not less than grow to be enamored with a magnetic clubhouse presence.
Real manufacturing adopted.
The group’s common proper fielder towards lefties throughout Tatis’ absence, Peralta closed the season hitting .289/.347/.472 with eight homers and 24 RBIs over 64 video games. While Tatis’ return in September pushed Peralta’s bat again to the bench, he drove in two runs on Saturday through his first profession postseason dwelling run and doubled in two runs in the second inning to assist push the Padres to the brink of advancing to the National League Championship Series.
“It was a big swing he took the other day, the two-run homer,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt mentioned. “And a two-run double today. He opened up both games. He’s been tremendous for us. Obviously in Tati’s absence he was a big part of what got us here. He’s done a great job. Without David Peralta, I’d shudder to think where we (are), and he continues to perform.”
As for Peralta, he doesn’t need to assume the place he’d be with out the Padres.
He’s proper the place he belongs.
“I think I realized that (the) first time I stepped in the clubhouse in Cincinnati when I got called up to the big leagues (with the Padres),” Peralta mentioned. “I saw this group. I know this guy (Tatis); I’ve been playing against these guys for a long time … and they just welcomed me. And it’s just a great group of guys.
“We’re all together like a brotherhood. And we go out there and have fun and do our job and do our thing. And we’re good, man. We’re good.”
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