The Milwaukee Brewers’ season came to a disappointing end on Friday, and it might also signal the conclusion of a longtime star’s tenure with the team.
The Brewers are likely to field trade offers for starting pitcher Freddy Peralta this winter, according to Andy McCullough of The Athletic. Peralta is in line to become a free agent after the 2026 season, and his contractual demands may prove more than the Brewers can afford.
For the Brewers, this will be a decision they are far too familiar with. The organization has developed plenty of talent over the last decade, but their small-market status has forced a lot of those players to be traded to prevent the Brewers from getting nothing for them when they leave via free agency. Milwaukee traded pitchers Corbin Burnes and Devin Williams when they were in the same contractual situation as Peralta is now.
Peralta was the ace of the Milwaukee staff in 2025, going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA. The Brewers hold a very affordable $8 million option on his contract for 2026, but the 29-year-old will undoubtedly become much more expensive in 2027 and beyond.
There is no reason to believe Milwaukee will serious regress next season, so there will be a strong temptation to retain Peralta and try to run it back with a similar group. That would be a risk, but there is precedent for the organization to do that as well, as they did with shortstop Willy Adames in 2024.
