David Peralta announced his retirement from baseball on Wednesday, officially capping one of the game’s brightest independent ball to the big league careers of recent memory.
Peralta played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, nine of which he spent on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona took a flier on a former minor league pitcher who was fighting to keep his baseball dream alive as an outfielder and was rewarded.
The 38-year-old Venezuelan played 961 games for the Diamondbacks from 2014-22, which ranks fourth in franchise history behind Luis Gonzalez, Paul Goldschmidt and Ketel Marte.
On Instagram, Peralta wrote:
Thank you to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for making my dreams come true, believing in me and giving me the opportunity to play the best baseball in the world – MLB. I also want to thank all of the other organizations that were a part of my career; Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
Thank you to Dave McKay for making me a Gold Glover, and thank you to Jose Amado for making me a Silver Slugger. And of course, thank you to all of the fans were always so special with me.
It was a lot of years of hard work, dedication and discipline, and I can now say with my head up that “I did it.” The Freight Train has reached his final destination – HOME. Thank You BASEBALL!
Dave McKay has coached with the Diamondbacks since 2014, and Peralta won his first and only Gold Glove in 2019. Jose Amado instructed Peralta in indy ball before landing a job as a hitting coach in the D-backs’ farm system.
Arizona first signed the 25-year-old Peralta in July 2013, and less than a year later, he made his big league debut. He originally pitched in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system, but he was released in 2009 after shoulder issues led to multiple surgeries. He played parts of three seasons in the independent leagues and even worked at McDonald’s at one point.
Once given the opportunity in Arizona, Peralta produced very quickly. He started his tenure with a seven-game hitting streak and hit .286 as a rookie.
Peralta slashed .283/.340/.463 with Arizona, hitting 110 home runs and 191 doubles. He also led the league in triples twice and took home a Silver Slugger in 2018.
He became a fan favorite in Arizona known as the “Freight Train.” He greeted fans in the outfield bleachers by pumping his arm like a train conductor.
Freight Train Forever 🚂
Congrats on an incredible career and best of luck in retirement, David! pic.twitter.com/bIAYvcI6ax
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 4, 2026
The Diamondbacks eventually traded Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays at the 2022 deadline for catching prospect Christian Cerda.
“I just want to say thank you. I’m going to keep all the fans in my heart. I love you with all my heart,” Peralta said to Diamondbacks fans after the trade.
Peralta finished his career with stints playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
He drew the ire of some fans when Arizona matched up with Los Angeles in the 2023 NLDS, as he said, “Losing against the Dodgers, that’s what I remember in 2017. Now I’m on this side. We’re going to do the same thing,” and noted how Chase Field can feel like a home ballpark for L.A. The D-backs earned the last laugh with a series sweep.
Nevertheless, Peralta is one of the most accomplished players in Diamondbacks history, all over the franchise leaderboards from hits (fourth) to home runs (eighth), doubles (fifth) and triples (second).
He was also a community standout, earning the Roberto Clemente Award nominee in 2021. He made national headlines in 2020 for placing teddy bears in the stands at an empty Chase Field during the COVID-19-impacted 2020 campaign to honor Phoenix Children’s.
