AL DIVISION SERIES: GUARDIANS VS YANKEES

October 18, 2022

Wandy Peralta

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Yankees - 5, Guardians - 1

Q. Wandy, after going through some of that late-season adversity, and coming back in to play such a big role and record the final out, what are the emotions that you have with this team?

WANDY PERALTA: So exciting. You put so much work into this, into the whole season, and the assignment right there at that moment, like you said, just getting the last out, it's hard to explain. It's such an exciting moment being able to win there. Not enough words to describe.

Q. I believe you're the first pitcher to ever pitch in all five games of a series. Can you tell us, one, how you're feeling, two, how did you it, and, three, just what were you thinking going into today about pitching?

WANDY PERALTA: Thank you for telling me that. It's something, right.

But, you know, like when you take up this journey as a little kid, you know it's going to be a lot of work. So I think that's why I was able to do it, just concentration and the work. So excited about it, and yeah, it's a moment there for me for sure.

Q. Did you want to pitch tonight?

WANDY PERALTA: Of course. Of course. Every time. I want to pitch every day. They give me that opportunity and I get that ball, yeah, I want to be pitching.

Q. What is it about Nestor that all of you in the clubhouse gravitate to him?

WANDY PERALTA: He's a very unique individual. If I'm sitting right here trying to explain everything he does, I won't be able to do it. He has that personality, that quality of a person that people just gravitate towards him. That's who he is, you know.

You know, I feel like I'm grateful to have someone like him in the clubhouse along with my other teammates and the staff. It's really good chemistry, and I want to make sure that he knows that I appreciate who he is on the field and off the field as well.

Q. You guys just won the big series tonight, but another one starts tomorrow. How excited are you to face the Astros, and can you pitch tomorrow if they ask you?

WANDY PERALTA: Yes, I'll be able to pitch tomorrow. I mentioned it before. We've worked so hard, we've prepared so much to be able to have an opportunity at this point in the season.

So we came from behind in that last series. There was nothing more important than the current game of the day. We were able to win this series, and now we have an upcoming series, brand new, upcoming series.

But it's going to be exciting, and we're going to be right there, and I want to be able to pitch.

Q. You've upheld so much confidence thus far. What does it mean to know that Aaron Boone and everyone managing from pitching coach to know that you're able to carry out on such, I guess, a big stage and to do what you do to end this game?

WANDY PERALTA: It's so exciting to be in the game in situations like that. And, yeah, you know, they have given me the confidence to be in those games, and for me, we just have to keep doing our job. You know, work, keep doing our job and focus and expect to be in there in those games.

Q. You didn't have any saves until last year in your career. Now you have a bunch, even some in the postseason. What do you like most about pitching in those moments?

WANDY PERALTA: To me, it's just a fact being taken into consideration in games like that, you know, where the game is on the line, and they are asking you to put the game away. Just a confidence being given, it means a lot.

But like I said before, for me, it's about preparing myself to pitch regardless of when is it, you know, early in the game or the middle of the game or at the end of the game.