Red Sox Predicted to Make Cheap Deal For $8 Million All-Star Righty Ace
The Boston Red Sox are actively pursuing starting pitching this offseason. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow recently shared on the 310 to Left podcast that the team’s focus is on acquiring frontline starting pitchers—not just rotation depth pieces.
At the same time, the Red Sox have generally been cautious about signing pitchers to expensive, long-term contracts. Among the current pitching staff, which includes starters and relievers, only two players have deals longer than four years: Cy Young candidate Garrett Crochet and No. 2 starter Brayan Bello. Crochet’s six-year contract runs through 2031, while Bello is also signed to a six-year extension that expires in 2030.
### Brewers Expected to Field Offers For Freddy Peralta
According to a new report, one All-Star pitcher who served as the ace of a playoff team’s starting rotation is likely to be available via trade—and this pitcher has previously been linked to the Red Sox’s trade radar.
“As the winter unfolds, the Brewers are expected to at least field offers for starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, according to people familiar with the situation who requested anonymity,” reported Andy McCullough of The Athletic on Saturday morning. This news arrived just hours after Milwaukee was swept out of the National League Championship Series by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Milwaukee currently holds an $8 million option on Peralta for the 2026 season. The right-hander went 17-6 this year with a 2.70 ERA and earned his second All-Star selection.
### Red Sox Interest in Peralta
The Red Sox were linked to a potential trade for Peralta earlier this year, as MLB experts believed the 29-year-old pitcher could be dealt at the trade deadline. However, the deadline passed without a deal, and Peralta remained a Brewer—playing a key role in Milwaukee’s strong regular season. The Brewers finished with the best record in baseball at 97 wins, 17 of which came from Peralta. His 17 wins led the National League and were just two shy of Max Fried of the New York Yankees, who recorded 19 wins.
For comparison, Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet recorded 18 wins this season—tied for second in the majors alongside another Yankees hurler, Carlos Rodon. No other Milwaukee pitcher had more than 13 wins, a total by Quinn Priester. Peralta’s 2.70 ERA ranked seventh in MLB, just behind Crochet’s 2.59 ERA.
### Potential Trade Cost and Prospect Packages
With only one year remaining on Peralta’s contract, the Brewers may not be in a position to demand a high price. A combination of one solid pitching prospect and a lower-level prospect could be enough to complete a trade.
The Red Sox could consider offering their No. 9 overall prospect, Luis Perales, who unfortunately missed the entire 2025 season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Another option would be sending No. 10 prospect David Sandlin. Sandlin was acquired in 2024 from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever John Schreiber. The 24-year-old pitcher has shown promise, striking out 33% of batters faced in his first two full professional seasons, though he has battled oblique and forearm strains that caused him to miss time.
### Looking Ahead
As the offseason progresses, it will be interesting to see whether the Red Sox engage aggressively to acquire a top-tier starting pitcher like Freddy Peralta. With Breslow’s stated goal of securing frontline starters and the Brewers’ apparent willingness to listen to offers, a trade could be on the horizon that bolsters Boston’s rotation for the 2026 season and beyond.
https://heavy.com/sports/mlb/boston-red-sox/freddy-peralta-brewers-trade/
You may also like
Leave a Reply