Milwaukee Brewers: Is it worth waiting on Wily Peralta?

The Milwaukee Brewers have been connected to most of the big name relievers on the trade market. Pat Neshek and Justin Wilson are just a few of the bigger names. However, the biggest additions can come from within the organization sometimes.

Wily Peralta came off of the DL Sunday and pitched well in first appearance back. This is a guy who won 17 games in 2014 for the Milwaukee Brewers. It has been a hard fall for him since.

After a demotion to the minors last season, Peralta came back with a vengeance. Unfortunately that momentum cooled considerably over the winter. Following a demotion to the bullpen this season, most Brewers fans were calling for his head.

A lot of fans forget that when the Milwaukee Brewers signed Peralta, he was an outfielder. This isn’t a guy who’s been pitching his entire life. He’s only been on the mound since joining the professional ranks.

It takes time to learn the nuances of pitching. Plenty of people can throw hard, but some guys never figure out how to pitch. With his heavy sinker and his killer slider, Peralta could thrive in a bullpen role. If he can get out of his own head.

Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Derek Johnson has done a great job with this staff. Look at the emergence of Chase Anderson and Corey Knebel. Johnson knows pitching. If he can’t get through to Peralta, nobody can at this point.

If Peralta can get the ball over the plate, he will be an effective reliever. Not could be, will be. He has the talent to develop into a high-leverage late-inning guy. He could absolutely be lights out in short bursts.

Or maybe they use him in a swing fashion like Andrew Miller. He could provide a boost in those games when the starter can only get through four innings and bridge the gap to the late inning guys. Remember, Wily can swing the bat a little bit, too. So you won’t have to burn a position player if you bring him in too early.

Peralta can change the entire outcome of the next 61 games. Good or bad. It’s possible Wily comes back throwing flames for an inning or two an appearance.

It’s more likely he comes back throwing meatballs and showing us exactly what he is. The most frustrating of all riddles. A pitcher with all the “stuff” in the world, but a guy who just cannot put it together consistently.

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To see Wily Peralta recover and contribute to a Milwaukee Brewers team that makes the playoffs would be ideal. It can happen if Wily makes the necessary adjustments and keeps the ball down in the zone. We’ve seen that Wily Peralta before, and the thought of a return is very welcome.