This article was originally published as part of Verducci’s View, a new weekly baseball newsletter from Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci. Every Monday, Tom empties out his notebook over email and covers MLB’s hottest topics, provides in-depth analysis through both text and video breakdowns, looks forward to what’s worth watching during the week and more. If you want to be featured in his new mailbag, email [email protected] with any questions about MLB or his decades in the sport.

📺 Breakdown of the Week

The Rays knew they were acquiring a project when they traded for Freddy Peralta from the Mets. As I detailed earlier, “Fastball Freddy,” a drop-and-drive pitcher, lost his famous extension while pitching from a more upright posture. He lost his edge in perceived velocity, and he lost the finish on his changeup. He had a 4.99 ERA in 22 starts with New York.

I would not have traded for Peralta because I don’t like the idea of trying to fix a newly acquired pitcher in the short window of a pennant race. But these are the Rays, and their pitching coach, Kyle Snyder, is one of the best in the business. Fixing pitchers is what they do, especially when it comes to changeups. No team in recorded history throws more changeups than the 2026 Rays.

Voila! It took a few starts, but Peralta is a revived pitcher. In his past three starts he has allowed two runs and one walk over 18 innings. What happened?

You can view the changes in the video above. In brief, the Rays closed off his delivery, returned extension to his stride, junked his slider and, of course, fixed his changeup. Here are the details. Keep in mind that he has been adding extension as these changes take root; it’s been 6.7 feet over his past four starts.

Peralta by Team, 2026

The fixes are most noticeable in the frequency and effectiveness of his changeup. Notice in the heat maps how Peralta’s more closed posture is getting his changeup more to the arm-side edge of the plate rather than with the Mets how he would pull that pitch into the center of the plate.

📺 TV on TV This Week

Saturday, Sept. 12: New York Mets @ New York Yankees, 1:30 p.m. ET (MLBN)

The Subway Series takes on a bigger, deeper meaning on the weekend commemorating 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At least five former professional baseball players were among the thousands who perished that day. The baseball community proudly remembers:

Marty Boryczewski, 29

A trader at Cantor Fitzgerald, he played one year of independent ball and two minor league seasons in the Pirates and Tigers systems (1994–96) A catcher, Marty played at Morris Catholic (N.J.) High School and St. Peter’s College before pro ball. The 9/11 Memorial Museum includes his warmup jacket from St. Peter’s and a custom bat he used in the minors.

Mark Hindy, 28

A three-sport athlete at Poly Prep in Brooklyn, he pitched as a walk-on at Vanderbilt and in 1995 drove to Ogden, Utah, to fulfill his dream of being a pro ballplayer, pitching for the independent Ogden Raptors. He joined Cantor Fitzgerald the next year as an equity trader. 

Brent Woodall, 31

A trader at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, he pitched two years in the Cubs’ system (1993–94). Woodall was a two-sport athlete at Cal, appearing in the College World Series (as the closer) and in two football bowl games (as a fullback and tight end). 

Mike Weinberg, 34

A second-generation firefighter at Engine 1, Station 24 in Lower Manhattan, he played four years at St. John’s and was an outfielder for two years in the Tigers’ system. He was on vacation on 9/11 and preparing to play golf at Forest Park Golf Course. When he saw the first plane hit the tower, he raced to his firehouse. From there he drove Rev. Mychal Judge and Capt. Dan Brethel to the site. They arrived just before the collapse of Two World Trade Center. They were killed by falling debris. 

Ralph Scorca, 61

An assistant vice president at Marsh McLennan, Ralph signed with the Yankees in 1958 out of Nutley (N.J.) High School. He pitched four seasons in the Yankees’ minor league system. In 1959 he pitched on the same short-season Class D Kearney, Neb., staff with Jim Bouton. His last season was 1962, when he was on the Greensboro (Class B) staff with Mel Stottlemyre.