The New York Yankees are hardly the only team that should call the Milwaukee Brewers about ace Freddy Peralta this winter.
With one year of control for a paltry $8 million, Peralta would be one of the great rental aces in recent memory. He’s coming off a 5.5-win season with a career-high 176 2/3 innings pitched, and at age 29 (30 in June), he’s at the peak of his powers.
The Yankees could use a guy like that to stabilize the rotation early in the year with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole expected to start on the injured list. Then with all three healthy, New York could combine that trio with Max Fried and Cam Schlittler to produce the game’s nastiest pitching staff.

The devil is always in the details, though, and even if the Brewers are willing to move Peralta (which is no guarantee), they’d want a really nice haul for the year of him they’d be giving away.
On Monday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic drew up a potential trade package for the Yankees to send the Brewers: right-handed pitcher Will Warren and shortstop Jose Caballero. It’s a package that closely mirrors the deal the Brewers got two years ago for Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes.
“The Yankees could dangle right-handed starting pitcher Will Warren and shortstop Jose Caballero for Peralta, giving the Brewers two players to slot onto their major-league roster immediately,” Bowden wrote. “Warren has a plus fastball and the Brewers have a history of getting the most out of their pitching talent.
“Caballero could share shortstop with Ortiz and fill in practically anywhere else on the field as needed. The Brewers always embrace speed and Caballero, 29, has plenty of that. He has swiped more than 40 bases in each of the past two seasons.”
To be candid, the Yankees would likely do this deal in a heartbeat, and they should probably be willing to add more pieces if requested. As is, Caballero and Warren are complementary roster pieces, though both have the upside to be solid regulars, especially Warren if he takes the next step.
The possibility exists that the Brewers would be holding out for significantly more, though, considering how many teams could use a true frontline starter like Peralta to boost their chances of contention.
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