Much has been said about the Milwaukee Brewers and ace Freddy Peralta this offseason.
After picking up his $8 million club option for the 2026 season, the winds started to shift. Rather than just a heap of trade rumors, prominent insiders, like Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, started to throw cold water on the idea of a trade.
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Well, it seems like that idea has thawed a bit. Rosenthal reported on Wednesday that Milwaukee is considering “cracking the door open” on the idea of a Peralta trade. Rosenthal noted that Milwaukee would “undoubtedly would set a high bar” and noted that a major-league-ready starting pitcher would be considered part of an ideal return.
All eyes are on Freddy Peralta
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches during the first inning of the National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers October 14, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Perhaps this was inevitable, but the interest in right-hander Freddy Peralta is so significant, the Milwaukee Brewers are now considering ‘cracking the door open’ for trade discussions, according to a person briefed on their situation,” Rosenthal wrote. “Both owner Mark Attanasio and general manager Matt Arnold said they were excited about their rotation after righty Brandon Woodruff accepted the team’s $22.025 million qualifying offer. But if the Brewers get a strong enough offer for Peralta, they believe the veteran presence of Woodruff and their numerous other rotation options still could leave them in position to contend in the NL Central.
“The Brewers undoubtedly would set a high bar for Peralta, ideally landing a major-league ready starting pitcher as part of the return. It is possible no team would meet their price. But righty Dylan Cease commanded a seven-year, $210 million free-agent contract, reduced to $184.6 million in present-day value by deferrals, according to the Players Association. Peralta is the same age as Cease, 29, and is set to earn just $8 million in his final season before free agency. His trade value would be considerable.”
The timing of the report is intriguing, to say the least. The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings will begin in four days, as of writing, on Dec. 7 in Orlando, Florida. This will be a time when all of the top decision makers in the game are together in one place. So, to see a report like this pop up just before the Winter Meetings could be a sign of a deal to come. It could be a way to drum up interest even more and get a possible asking price out there.
For the Brewers, they do have Brandon Woodruff back along with Quinn Priester, Jacob Misiorowski and other options. The rotation could hold up if Peralta is moved. This is now something to watch at the Winter Meetings.
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