Padres Named Potential Suitors For Brewers $8 Million All-Star In Deadline Surprise

Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta has been subjected to far more speculation than a typical All-Star on a prospective playoff team.

Peralta will likely make his second All-Star team this month, as he owns a 2.90 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 93 innings this season. That makes him a coveted arm for any team in the playoff hunt, yet the Brewers are not only in the playoff hunt themselves. Is there any shot they part ways with Peralta?

It's a hot debate, and CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson thinks there's at least a reasonable chance that Milwaukee decides to get a haul for their 29-year-old righty while the price tag is high.

On Monday, Anderson named the San Diego Padres, a fellow National League Wild Card contender, as a potential trade destination for Peralta.

"The Brewers, who could have more healthy starters than spots by the time the deadline arrives, have shown in the past that they're willing to operate in a counterculture manner if the right opportunity presents itself. (Remember the Josh Hader trade?)" wrote Anderson.

"Given the expected state of the market, Peralta could be the top available starter, creating the possibility that the Brewers could leverage other clubs to net an impressive return. I don't think a trade is a given, and truth told I'd prefer the Brewers keep Peralta and try to win a title. If you squint, though, you can see the stars coming into alignment on this one."

The trade doesn't make sense on paper based on the two teams' records. Milwaukee is in a playoff spot at 47-37 entering play on Tuesday; the 45-39 Padres are not. But there's just enough history and logic behind the move not to discount the possibility entirely.

San Diego has a storied history of deadline shockers--look at the 2022 deal for Juan Soto or last year's Tanner Scott/Jason Adam coups for examples. Or better yet, look at the other 2022 deal, in which these Brewers sent closer Josh Hader to the Padres when Milwaukee were in first place at the time.

Still, the Brewers have Peralta under team control for both this year and next at only $8 million. That's such a low price to pay for a pitcher of his caliber, and they can always flip him this winter, as they did Devin Williams last offseason and Corbin Burnes the year before.

The smart money here is that Peralta stays put in Milwaukee. But unfortunately, the trade rumors aren't stopping no matter how good the Brewers' record gets, because history teaches us that it's still possible.