The Milwaukee Brewers got good news on Tuesday when two-time All-Star starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff accepted the $22.05 million qualifying offer. But does Woodruff's return to Milwaukee in 2026 mean that another star pitcher, Freddy Peralta, is on his way out? MLB Insider Robert Murray believes it's possible.
Murray discussed Woodruff accepting the qualifying offer on the MLB Network. He noted that even with Woodruff's injury history, his return was "a big win for the Brewers." Murray also detailed the potentially sticky financial situation Milwaukee is now in and wondered if it might lead to a Peralta trade.
"But he's now signed for $22 million," Murray said of Woodruff. "You have Freddy Peralta signed for $8 million. That's $30 million for a small market team, invested into two players. To me, I wonder if this increases the chances of a Peralta trade. It's something that I'm watching. Something that other teams are watching. And I think this is gonna be a conversation now that heats up and maybe dominates the offseason market."
Immediately following Milwaukee's NLCS loss, several trade candidates for Peralta emerged. If the Brewers were to shop in, there would certainly be plenty of interested suitors.
Peralta was one of MLB's best pitchers in 2025. In 176.2 innings spread out over 33 starts, Peralta had a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP while striking out 204 batters with a 17-6 record. He also posted a 5.5 bWAR, was an All-Star for the second time and finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting.
The bigger reason that Milwaukee would trade Peralta is that he's entering the final year of his contract. Peralta will turn 30 during the 2026 season and will likely earn a big payday with his next deal. As Murray detailed, Milwaukee is a small-market team and could well look to get something for Peralta rather than just losing him in free agency.