Brewers' decision to move on from fan favorite is unfortunately looking very wise

The Milwaukee Brewers are known for their high success rate in trades, but what they've accomplished in 2026 is nothing short of extraordinary.

We all know about the infamous Kyle Harrison trade. Even though Caleb Durbin is riding a bit of a heater in June, the former's Cy Young candidacy all but slams the door shut on any conversations about the winners and losers of that deal.

However, there's another trade the Brewers made over the offseason that was even more high-profile, and it's starting to age just as poorly for their partner. Freddy Peralta is in the midst of his worst season this decade, maintaining a 4.83 ERA across 16 starts with the New York Mets. He's still his usual five-and-dive self (averaging 5.1 innings per start) and just recently allowed 10 runs in 2.2 innings to the Philadelphia Phillies.

In conjunction with Brandon Sproat finally finding his footing in Milwaukee, not to mention Jett Williams' own proximity to the big leagues, it's safe to say the Crew moved Peralta at the right time.

Brewers yet again receive vindication for trading away franchise staple

Peralta joined a long list of notable Brewers who were dealt ahead of free agency, including Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, and Devin Williams. In other words, it's clear that the Brewers have found and learned to exploit a market inefficiency.

While the idea of adding superstar players on one-year deals is an enticing concept for teams on the cusp of a championship, it's almost impossible to win such a trade, precisely because you have to win a championship to do so.

The Baltimore Orioles didn't win with Burnes, nor did the New York Yankees with Williams. Now, the Mets are mired in a terrible season with Peralta and are likely to deal him at the trade deadline just to try and recoup some lost value. For another example, think of the Chicago Cubs and their all-in acquisition of Kyle Tucker. Sure, he helped guide them to a 92-win season, but giving up Cam Smith didn't seem so great while the Brewers were crushing their dreams in the NLDS, right?

There's something to be said for maximizing your ceiling in any given year, but the Brewers have kept their window of contention open far longer than most precisely because they've been willing to punt on immediate value for long-term gain. It's unfortunate that Peralta hasn't found his footing outside Milwaukee, but his struggles are only further proof that capitalizing on a guy's talent can also mean dangling that talent in front of other teams.

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