Reliever Joel Peralta visited ex-Tampa Bay Rays teammates on Saturday, breaking the news he’s retiring from the league, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Peralta reportedly has a healthy arm, but ongoing knee issues have seemingly ended his career at age 40.
Joel Peralta is in #Rays clubhouse visiting ex-mates. Didn't make formal announcement, but he is retiring: "I'm not going to play anymore"
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) September 16, 2016
Usually, a reliever retiring isn’t particularly noteworthy, but Peralta’s career longevity was impressive. The right-hander made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2005 at 29-years-old. The chances his career would extend more than a decade seemed highly unlikely considering his late entry into the big leagues. Peralta defied the perception and stretched out an impressive 12-year career in MLB.
Peralta is best known for his long-winded delivery and reliance on his splitter. He truly found his big league calling from 2011-2014, serving as the Rays set up man. Peralta’s high usage (227 total appearances from 2011-2013) and sturdy dependability made him an anchor in Joe Maddon’s bullpen for years. In 2014, Peralta started to see a drop-off in effectiveness. He played 2015 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and made 31 appearances in 2016 split between the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs.
Peralta’s time in MLB won’t be overly remembered by non-Rays fans, but the fact he managed to prolong his career into his 40’s despite making his debut in his late 20’s is impressive. Peralta was both a reliable set-up man and workhorse for Tampa Bay. He’s got plenty to be proud of.
