How Brandon Woodruff's qualifying offer decision could impact a Freddy Peralta trade

This offseason is shaping up to be a pivotal one for the top of the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff. Freddy Peralta is still under contract, but with only one year left on his deal, the organization is expected to receive plenty of trade inquiries, and there’s a real possibility they could decide to act on one.

In addition, Brandon Woodruff has once again entered free agency, but is faced with several decisions, as the Brewers extended the qualifying offer to the long-time fan favorite last Thursday. Woody made 12 starts in 2025, logging 64.2 innings with a 3.20 ERA. While injuries have limited his availability in recent years, he has remained highly effective when healthy, continuing to perform at a high level despite a dip in velocity following major shoulder surgery.

Woodruff has until November 18 to decide whether to accept or decline the Brewers’ one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, and his decision will play a major role in shaping the direction of Milwaukee’s offseason plans.

How Brandon Woodruff's qualifying offer decision could impact a potential Freddy Peralta trade

While a new deal with the Brewers can’t be ruled out, the more likely outcomes are straightforward: either Woodruff accepts the one-year qualifying offer, eating up a significant portion of the Brewers' 2026 payroll in the process, or he declines it and pursues a multi-year contract elsewhere.

If Woodruff accepts the qualifying offer, he would become the first pitcher in Brewers history to do so, and would also set a franchise record for the highest single-season salary of any pitcher. The downside, however, is that such a move could limit Milwaukee’s financial flexibility, potentially making Matt Arnold more inclined to explore trading Freddy Peralta in order to free up resources while getting impact players in return.

If Woodruff returns, pushes the organization to its financial limits, and the Brewers decide to keep Peralta as well, the team could view 2026 as an “all-in” season, recognizing that both pitchers are going to depart afterward.

With CBA negotiations looming prior to the 2027 season, it might make sense for Milwaukee to operate with an elevated payroll for one year before resetting ahead of a potentially shifting financial landscape across baseball.

Either way, Woodruff's decision will significantly impact what Milwaukee's strategy with a potential Freddy Peralta trade this winter, and how they approach the rest of the offseason.