Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) throws pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning for game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images David Banks-Imagn Images

Yankees Could Trade for Brewers Ace

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Mitchell Corcoran | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 1:45 PM ET

The New York Yankees wiffed on signing Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai and are still in search of another arm for the starting rotation.

Imai was one of the biggest names in free agency this offseason, but all is not lost for the Yankees yet. There are still other avenues for the Yankees to fill out the starting rotation.

In a recent prediction, Zach Pressnell of Newsweek picked the Yankees to trade for Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

"The Yankees could package a handful of talented prospects to send to Milwaukee to acquire the superstar pitcher. Adding Peralta to the rotation would take a lot of pressure off pitchers like Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt, both of whom are recovering from major injuries," Pressnell wrote.

Peralta's Impressive 2025 Season

Peralta, a 29-year-old right-hander, had perhaps the best season of his career last season and placed himself among some of the top pitchers in the MLB.

Peralta had a record of 17-6 (fourth-best in the MLB), a 2.70 ERA (seventh-best), 204 strikeouts (ninth-best) and a 1.08 WHIP (13th-best). Peralta also had a career-high 5.5 WAR, which tied for the seventh-best in the league, and allowed just 53 earned runs, which is a new three-year low for him.

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

"The Yankees should be calling the Milwaukee Brewers and asking about Freddy Peralta if they haven't done so already. Peralta is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now, and he's found himself on the trade block because of his expiring contract," Pressnell wrote.

Peralta is set to be paid $8 million this upcoming season to cap off his five-year, $15.5 million contract with the Brewers.

Yankees Rotation in 2026

Peralta would nicely fill out a five-man rotation for Opening Day. He would likely be joined by Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gill and Cam Schlittler, while Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt still recover from their injuries.

However, Pressnell says the Brewers could receive one of the Yankees' starters, plus some prospects, in return for Peralta.

"The Brewers likely want a starting pitcher like Will Warren alongside a handful of prospects in exchange for Peralta. If the Yankees can find a contract extension for the righty, swinging a trade for him would make plenty of sense for the Bronx Bombers, especially with Imai off the market," he wrote.

Trading for another starter seems like the best option for the Yankees at this point in the offseason. The Yankees were also reportedly connected to San Diego Padres free agent starter Michael King, but they reportedly never sent King an offer.

Some other players the Yankees have been loosely tied to in the trade market are Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins, MacKenzie Gore of the Washington Nationals and back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

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This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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