3 Brewers who just got a golden opportunity after Freddy Peralta blockbuster

Earlier this week, the Milwaukee Brewers once again followed a familiar trade blueprint, dealing Freddy Peralta with one year remaining on his contract to the New York Mets in exchange for two Top 100 prospects: utility player Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Sproat.

A few years earlier, the Brewers made a similar move, trading ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for DL Hall and Joey Ortiz. That deal helped elevate Peralta into the ace role, and over the next two seasons, he delivered a strong 3.19 ERA while making 32-plus starts in each campaign.

When comparing the two post-trade situations, the Brewers’ starting rotation is in a far better position entering 2026 than it was in 2024. At that time, the Opening Day rotation behind Peralta consisted of DL Hall, Colin Rea, Joe Ross, and Jakob Junis, none of whom finished the season in that role or even with Milwaukee.

This time around, the rotation has clearer stability, with a healthy Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester returning after a breakout season, and Jacob Misiorowski, who will inevitably experience more growing pains, all locked into starting roles. Behind them, the back end of the rotation could be filled by any combination of Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat, Robert Gasser, Logan Henderson, or even Ángel Zerpa, who has reportedly been considered as a potential starter. And don't rule out Aaron Ashby from making a return to the starting rotation.

That said, which Brewers now have a golden opportunity in front of them?

3 Brewers who could now have far more important roles in Brewers' rotation after Freddy Peralta trade

1. Brandon Sproat

Milwaukee’s newest addition is one player who now has a golden opportunity in front of him. The last time the Brewers traded their ace, Burnes, they received Hall and immediately gave him a chance in the rotation. While that experiment didn’t pan out and Hall eventually found success in the bullpen, Sproat appears positioned for a different outcome.

After making four starts last September and getting his pre-MLB debut jitters out of the way, Sproat, who features a six-pitch starter’s mix and generates a high rate of ground balls, stands to benefit greatly from pitching in front of Milwaukee’s strong defense. Additionally, getting plugged into the organization’s pitching lab, he’ll also have the opportunity to refine his repertoire based on the Brewers’ data-driven recommendations. As a result, Sproat has a legitimate chance to log meaningful starts for the Brew Crew not only in 2026, but over the course of the next six seasons.

2. Chad Patrick

As a rookie last season, Patrick capitalized on early injuries within the Brewers’ pitching staff, providing much-needed stability when the team was seemingly losing a starting pitcher to injury every day. He later broke out in the postseason as a reliever, flashing increased velocity and pitching in some of the club’s highest-leverage moments.

With Peralta now gone, Patrick has to be an early favorite to earn a spot in the starting rotation coming out of camp. He already has earned the trust of the coaching staff, and if his velocity gains carry over and he gains more confidence in the sweeper he added at the end of the year, Patrick could have a very strong sophomore season.

3. Logan Henderson

In 2025, Henderson made five starts for the Brewers and posted a 1.78 ERA, never allowing more than two earned runs in a single outing. His nine-strikeout performance during his MLB debut in April showcased just how effective his arsenal can be. However, the return of veteran pitchers and an elbow injury ultimately kept him from sticking at the big-league level.

Now that Peralta is gone, a clear window has opened for Henderson. Expected to enter camp fully healthy, he is very much in consideration for a spot in the back-end of the Brewers’ bullpen. With more chances, he could quickly establish himself as a reliable option and an integral piece of Milwaukee’s pitching staff in 2026.

Overall, the Brewers’ starting rotation enters the 2026 season in a stronger position than in recent years. While the group hasn’t yet built a track record of success, it features pitchers with significant upside and talent. The approach mirrors Milwaukee’s past strategy, namely how Woodruff, Burnes, and Peralta all entered the league together and developed into a core that eventually anchored the rotation.