According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the talks surrounding Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta are heating up, and the Braves are among the interested parties.
“The Freddy Peralta talks are about to resume in earnest. Both New York clubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox are among the teams showing interest. Some low-revenue clubs that can absorb Peralta’s $8 million salary are in play as well.
The Brewers’ price, even with Peralta under club control for one more season, remains high. A major-league-ready starting pitcher figures to be part of the desired return, so the team can remain a contender. And the calculus also includes this: Any team that acquires Peralta can recoup one prospect by making him a qualifying offer and receiving a likely Competitive Balance Round A pick in the low 30s in 2027.”
Given the amount of money the Braves have spent on free agents this offseason, it makes sense for them to pivot to the trade market for a frontline starting pitcher that will cost much less financially in 2026. Freddy Peralta is set to make just $8 million next year, which is a primary reason why the Brewers’ asking price remains high, despite the fact that he is under contract for only one more season.
Peralta is coming off a breakout year, posting a 2.70 ERA with a 10.4 K/9 over 176.2 innings. He has proven to be a durable starter, making at least 30 starts in each of the last three seasons, and he has shown he is more than capable of pitching under the bright lights in October, which appears to be a clear focus for Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos.
As for the return, Rosenthal and Sammon note that the Brewers are looking for at least one major-league-ready starting pitcher so they can remain competitive as a playoff contender. Remember, Milwaukee finished with the best record in the National League last season, not the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hurston Waldrep would be very enticing for them, but that might be too steep of a price for a rental. JR Ritchie is another name that could move the needle, as he appears to be on the cusp of making his major-league debut.
Regardless, if the Braves do find a package that works, they would likely be eager to extend Peralta before he even throws a pitch in 2026.
—
Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
