The Atlanta Braves have not been quiet about their desire to add an impact starter this offseason. Having that as a desire and actually pulling it off are two very different things and as the Braves found out during their pursuit of Tatsuya Imai, a lot of teams need quality pitching and are willing to pay even for arms that are a bit of a gamble. However, the trade market could hold the answer that the Braves have been looking for even if the bidding remains fierce.
At the start of the offseason, the trade market was abuzz with the possibility that one or both of Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta could be traded. Despite the excitement, most realistic trade chatter has died off as the Tigers are clearly looking to compete in 2026. While Milwaukee has gone to great lengths publicly to say that a Peralta trade was unlikely, those rumors have persisted given the Brewers' perennial need to manage their payroll and bring in young talent.
On Monday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon provided an update on the offseason market now that we have gotten into January and the new year. While nothing appears to be close, that report did indicate the Braves were among the teams interested in Peralta, though they have plenty of competition.
Braves among the suitors for a Freddy Peralta trade, but obstacles remain
Assuming the Braves are still hellbent on adding an impact rotation arm, pursuing Peralta makes loads of sense. The two teams have done business before (remember the Sean Murphy-William Contreras trade?) and Peralta has big time upside while only making $8 million this coming season. He is a pending free agent, but that almost adds to the allure as he appears to be a prime candidate to receive the qualifying offer.
However, the Braves are far from alone as the report specifically mentions the Dodgers and Red Sox as involved as well. Both teams have more minor league depth than Atlanta and could put together trade packages that would get Milwaukee's attention. Given it would be just one year of team control. there is definitely a price point where Atlanta should bail especially if it involves giving up one of their top pitching prospects.
The bigger issue may be the Brewers themselves. While general manager Matt Arnold has shown some willingness to wheel-and-deal this offseason, Milwaukee is coming off a really strong 2025 season and want to compete this coming season. In terms of fielding the best team possible, keeping Peralta similar to how they hung on to Willy Adames feels like the best option even with the Brewers' history of cutting guys loose once they get expensive.