Cardinals-Brewers Linked To Surprising Blockbuster Trade Buzz

The St. Louis Cardinals seemingly have a surplus of big league starting pitching right now, but that hasn't stopped trade chatter from picking up.

Right now, the Cardinals' rotation features Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Matthew Liberatore, Erick Fedde, and Andre Pallante. Michael McGreevy has also gotten a few opportunities this season, but there has been enough pitching that he hasn't gotten a consistent role with the team yet, although there have been plenty of people clamoring for that.

Over the next few weeks, things could change, though. Gray and Mikolas both have no-trade clauses and it has been reported that neither are looking to leave. Liberatore isn't going anywhere. Pallante probably isn't going anywhere. If anyone is going to get moved, it likely would be Fedde and then that would open the door for McGreevy.

But, ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel made a surprising suggestion and listed St. Louis among the "best fits" for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

"No. 4. Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers," Passan and McDaniel said. "Chance of trade: 20 percent. Peralta has been a steady presence for years, averaging 140 innings pitched with a 3.49 ERA over the past four seasons. He's on track to do that again, with his heavily used fastball coming in at a career-high average velo of 94.9 mph this season. He has an ultra-cheap $8 million option for 2026. Best fits: (Boston Red Sox), (Houston Astros), (Toronto Blue Jays), St. Louis, (Arizona Diamondbacks), (San Diego Padres), and (Baltimore Orioles)."

Peralta is a great pitcher who is under team control next year as well at an affordable rate. He has started 16 games for the Brewers this season and has a 2.76 ERA in 88 innings pitched. If the Cardinals could somehow land him, that would be a great way to make a run this year, but this type of move seems unlikely because it would be in the division and St. Louis doesn't seem likely to trade away pieces of the future for the present.