AL East team cited as best fit for potential Freddy Peralta trade this offseason

The Freddy Peralta trade rumor machine continues to chug along at full speed, with some insiders suggesting he won't be moved and others drawing up ten different trade packages for the Milwaukee Brewers' ace.

As it stands, nothing is set in stone, though the team's surprising reunion with Brandon Woodruff via the qualifying offer could inform some meaningful decisions this offseason. His $22 million impact on the payroll could increase the likelihood of a Peralta trade, or his presence in the rotation may embolden Matt Arnold and company to go all-in on 2026.

Either way, Peralta is now the man of the hour in Milwaukee, and it appears the rest of the baseball world is finally catching onto an obvious fact: If he is traded, the Boston Red Sox are by far his most logical suitor.

Boston Red Sox emerging as frontrunner for Freddy Peralta in trade talks

The Red Sox haven't shied away from their desire to add a co-ace for AL Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet, and Craig Breslow has gone on the record to express that he deems it more likely they'll achieve that via trade rather than free agency.

And, for a team that loves to hoard prospects and is very particular about its payroll, it should be no surprise that they prefer a cheap, one-year commitment to Peralta rather than a blockbuster for Hunter Greene or a record-breaking extension for Tarik Skubal.

For what it's worth, Bleacher Report placed the Red Sox as the top suitor for Peralta in their latest trade rankings, as did FanSided director Mark Powell.

What the deals propose couldn't be more different; Bleacher Report suggests a return package of star outfielder Wilyer Abreu, injured starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins, and pitching prospect Hayden Mullins. Meanwhile, Powell floats a huge return of three top prospects: Payton Tolle, Jhostynxon Garcia, and David Sandlin.

With all due respect to my FanSided colleague (and effective boss), that is just far too big a return for one year of Peralta. Tolle is one of the best pitching prospects in the sport, Garcia is a Top-100 outfielder who has huge power, and Sandlin is an MLB-ready starting pitching prospect. Peralta is a fantastic pitcher, but as a rental, it's hard to envision him commanding 18+ years of cost-controlled talent.

I think Bleacher Report's deal is more on the money, though the Sox would perhaps prefer to give up Jarren Duran over Abreu, which the Brewers might not mind; Duran, despite being a few years older and possessing one less year of team control, has shown a higher offensive ceiling and can play all three outfield spots.

Either way, it's clear that there's a fit between these two teams in trade talks if the Brewers are serious about shopping Peralta. After nabbing Quinn Priester from the Red Sox earlier this year, perhaps Milwaukee would be wise to return to the same well this offseason.