Feb 17, 2026; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws a pitch during the New York Mets spring training workouts at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

Brewers Hit Jackpot With Offseason Freddy Peralta Trade

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 11:04 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers were shockingly active this offseason. While they typically make a signing or two along with a trade, they're never very aggressive because they're a smaller market team.

But this offseason, the Brewers made a handful of big moves. They retained Brandon Woodruff on the qualifying offer, which came as a big shock. Shortly after, they traded youngster Isaac Collins to the Kansas City Royals. The Brewers made the biggest splash of their offseason by trading superstar pitcher Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets.

The Brewers also opted to trade Caleb Durbin and two other infielders to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a three-player package.

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Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently suggested the Brewers' decision to trade Peralta to the Mets was the best move of their entire offseason, which could come as a shock considering the Brewers were very busy this winter.

Brewers made the right decision by trading Freddy Peralta

"The surprise decision by Brandon Woodruff to accept his qualifying offer put the budget-conscious Brewers in a tricky spot, and it was likely the last major domino that needed to fall to clinch a Freddy Peralta trade," Reuter wrote. "Third baseman Caleb Durbin and outfielder Isaac Collins finished third and fourth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting, but both far exceeded expectations after never appearing on Top 100 prospect lists. The front office decided to sell high, bringing back a collection of controllable pieces."

Some fans still might not like the Peralta trade, but it was the right decision for Milwaukee.

The Brewers were never going to be able to retain Peralta beyond this season. Instead of getting one year of a top pitcher, they landed years of control over two of the game's best prospects, Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. Both youngsters have looked very good in spring training thus far.

Williams is expected to battle for a starting job in the Brewers lineup. Sproat is expected to be one of the top young pitchers in the organization, but he might be the first or second pitcher off the big-league roster.

Still, this is incredible value for one year of Peralta. The Brewers made the right decision.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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