Trade Package: SS Angel Genao (Reuter’s No. 41), 1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez (CLE No. 9) and C Jacob Cozart (CLE No. 17)
Even assuming Cleveland would refuse to entertain trading away the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, Travis Bazzana, there’s little question the Guardians have the prospect capital necessary to put together an offer Milwaukee would have to consider.
There’s also little question this rotation could use a Peralta-sized infusion of talent. Per FanGraphs, Cleveland’s rotation has ranked 26th in WAR over the past two seasons, behind even the Chicago White Sox. And though it’s played 13 postseason games over the past two years, its starting pitchers in those games had an 0-4 record to show for it.
The real question is whether they—for lack of a better word—care enough to pursue Peralta?
Historically, Cleveland has been the team on the prospects-receiving end of trades for less than two years of an established ace’s services (see: Bartolo Colon, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Trevor Bauer, etc.), and they’re probably reluctant to part with several prospects for just one season of a pitcher without whom they’ve still made it to the playoffs in each of the past two years.
Then again, continuing to do things the same old way is part of why they haven’t won a World Series since 1948, so maybe they’ll switch things up?