Getty
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Milwaukee Brewers are facing a decision whether to trade starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, with teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox expressing interest.
On December 10, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sommon reported, citing people familiar with the Brewers’ discussions, that the Brewers kept the door slightly open during the winter meetings, and it did not take long for other teams to step right in.
Other teams, such as the New York Mets, are also keeping tabs on the situation. However, there is uncertainty about whether all of them would be willing to match the Brewers’ price.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal provided an update on the Peralta situation during the December 12 edition of “Fair Territory.”
“The Brewers are going to get pushed here,” Rosenthal said. “Peralta is an extremely valuable commodity. Top five, Cy Young finisher. Not only that, making $8 million in 2026 before becoming a free agent. Eight million is a lot of money to the normal person. For a starting pitcher of his caliber, it is a pittance.
“So they’re going to get pushed, and pushed hard, on Peralta. I would not be surprised to see them trade him, even though after Brandon Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer, the owner and the general manager, Mark Attanasio and Matt Arnold, talked excitedly about their rotation.
“But if they could perhaps get a young pitcher back for Peralta, they go into the season with Woodruff, [Jacob] Misiorowski, and [Quinn] Priester as their top three, and they’ve got some depth behind them. They could justify it in their heads in that way.”
Why the Brewers Could Trade Freddy Peralta
Peralta placed fifth in NL Cy Young voting after turning in a strong regular season, posting a 2.70 ERA across 176 two-thirds innings while recording the eighth-highest strikeout rate in the sport.
In addition, Rosenthal wrote in that same December 10 article from The Athletic the reasoning why Milwaukee could explore trading Peralta, even after publicly praising the strength of the starting rotation.
“[Peralta’s] relatively low salary might make him an even more valuable trade commodity, particularly as many clubs seem lukewarm on the leading free-agent options… But the Brewers believe that if they trade Peralta, the veteran presence of Woodruff and their numerous other rotation options still could leave them in position to contend in the NL Central.”
Yankees’ Interest in Freddy Peralta Makes Sense
The Yankees could use a big splash like Peralta to boost their starting rotation and improve their 3.91 team ERA from last season, which was middle of the pack.
Moreover, after seeing the Toronto Blue Jays secure Dylan Cease, they might want to respond if they’re going to reclaim the American League East next season.
The Athletic adds that nothing is imminent. Discussions remain in flux, and clubs linked to Peralta are keeping their options open by weighing free agents and trade targets at the same time.
For instance, the Baltimore Orioles have been one of the teams showing interest in Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera. With multiple teams in the mix for Peralta, New York may have to present Milwaukee with a proposal that stands out from the rest.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
More Heavy on Yankees
Loading more stories