With Freddy Peralta on a very affordable salary in 2026, the Brewers could get a strong return back for their ace.
Freddy Peralta could become one of the top arms in the trade market if the Milwaukee Brewers made him available. Coming off a breakout 2025 campaign and available for a modest $8 million salary, Peralta appeals to just about any team looking to upgrade their rotation.
One insider believes that Peralta could fetch a larger return than what the Brewers got for Corbin Burnes. Ken Rosenthal appeared on Foul Territory’s January 6 episode to discuss the possibility of a deal.
“I would expect if he is traded, and I do believe he will be traded, I said that on Fair Territory yesterday,” said Rosenthal. “I believe they will get in excess of what they acquired for Corbin Burnes.”
The Brewers traded Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles before the 2024 season. He played under a $15.6 million salary in his final year of arbitration eligibility. The return was infielder Joey Ortiz, left-hander DL Hall, and the No. 34 pick in the draft (Blake Burke). Burnes wound up landing a six-year, $210 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks the following offseason.
“The reason Peralta is even more attractive than Burnes, and he’s not quite as accomplished, of course, he’s making half as much money as Burnes was. And, at the end of the season, if you like him, you can hit him with a qualifying offer and get one of the prospects back as draft pick compensation.”
Why the Brewers Would Consider Trading Freddy Peralta
Despite everything that went well for the Brewers in 2025, the season had a bitter finish. While they won their first postseason series since 2018, it came to a crashing halt against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The series was not particularly competitive, as Milwaukee was swept by the Dodgers and scored only four runs.
For the Brewers to make a more successful playoff run, they need to improve their lineup to score against premier pitching. As a small-market club, they have to come up with creative solutions on a budget. Unfortunately, that means trading their ace for highly regarded prospects.
The Brewers certainly have the pitching depth to overcome it. Brandon Woodruff is finally healthy again, and top prospect Jacob Misiorowski is ready for a 2026 breakout. Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick proved to be savvy trade pickups at the bottom of their rotation. Logan Henderson would be the candidate to replace Peralta in the Brewers’ starting rotation. The right-hander pitched to a 1.78 ERA in 25.1 innings in 2025.
That gives the Brewers the leverage they need to maximize the return for Peralta. If they don’t get an acceptable offer, they can always keep him in 2026. They would still reserve the option to trade him at the deadline or hold onto him all season and slap on a qualifying offer.
Freddy Peralta’s Trade Value
Peralta set career-highs across the board in 2025. He pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 176.2 innings and recorded his third consecutive 200-strikeout season. That led the Brewers to exercise an $8 million club option for 2026.
More advanced run-prevention metrics don’t believe Peralta will repeat the 2.70 ERA, but they’re still bullish on him. He posted a 3.65 FIP and 3.47 xERA in 2025, indicative of a frontline starter that can lead a rotation on a contender. He’s already proven that with the Brewers in 2025.
Factoring in a modest $8 million salary for his services, that allows him to fit any contender’s budget. He can fit a small or mid-market team, like the Brewers, who are looking to go all-in and make a run. Or a big market team can look at a trade as an opportunity to negotiate a long-term extension. That was the key distinction in why Rosenthal believes Peralta would get a better return than Burnes.
Sonny Gray still serves as the main comparable in the trade market, as both he and Peralta could reach free agency next winter. The Red Sox threw in Richard Fitts and prospect Brandon Clarke, while only having to pay $11 million of Gray’s 2026 salary.
It’s worth noting the age gap between the two starters. Gray is entering his Age 36 season, while Peralta will turn 30 next season. An interested team will be more confident they’re getting a peak year of Peralta, while the Red Sox hope Gray continues to age well.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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