MLB insider adds new team to Freddy Peralta trade rumors mix

Major League Baseball's young 2025-26 offseason has already seen several major trades. From the Marcus Semien-Brandon Nimmo swap between the Texas Rangers and the New York Mets to the St. Louis Cardinals sending Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox, it's already been an active trade market this offseason. While the Milwaukee Brewers have yet to decide whether or not they and their ace, Freddy Peralta, will be a part of the blockbuster market this offseason, it hasn't stopped national writers from constructing trade packages that would land Peralta with a big-market squad.

To be clear, there is no concrete evidence of the Brewers committing to a Peralta trade this offseason, with the front office and management group both saying how excited they are for a 2026 rotation that includes Peralta. The Brewers' ace, with his $8 million salary projects to be one of the most valuable players during the 2026 season. That said, if there is a lopsided offer out there that benefits the Brewers, Matt Arnold and company absolutely have to at least consider it.

MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes the Atlanta Braves of the National League East could be a contender to swoop in and trade for Peralta, adding him to what they hope is a much healthier starting rotation in 2026. Fans might remember that at one point this past year, the Braves’ entire starting rotation was on the injured list.

Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, and AJ Smith Shawver were all injured at once for the Braves, but Sale and Strider ended up returning before the end of the year. Even with Schwellenbach and Lopez likely to be ready to return by Spring Training, that does not mean the Braves should not look to upgrade to their rotation, and Bowden believes they would be willing to offer a steep prospect price to do so.

Jim Bowden's proposed Braves Freddy Peralta offer is completely fair and one Milwaukee should absolutely consider

In his article, Bowden proposes that the Braves send starting pitcher JR Ritchie and shortstop prospect Alex Lodise to the Brewers in exchange for Peralta. A first-round pick back in the 2022 draft, Ritchie advanced to Triple-A during the 2025 season and is expected to impact the big-league roster in 2026.

Despite finishing the season in Triple-A, Ritchie began the 2025 campaign in High-A. All in all, he posted a 2.64 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP in 140 innings while playing for three different Braves affiliates. He's received plenty of hype since he was drafted, and at every stage, he has lived up to it. Ritchie would be a huge addition to Milwaukee's group of talented young starting pitchers, with the potential to impact the Brewers rotation for many years to come.

In regard to Lodise, the Braves have been trying to figure out their shortstop problem ever since Dansby Swanson left in free agency and Nick Allen did not show enough offensively. As a result, Allen was recently traded to the Houston Astros for utility infielder Mauricio Dubon.

In an attempt to avoid a similar problem down the road, the Braves selected three different shortstops in the 2024-25 MLB Draft, and Lodise was the first, taken in the second round. He played the end of the 2025 season with the High-A Rome Braves and appeared in 25 games, hitting to a .252 batting average and a .692 OPS. Lodise is still just 21 years old and had an incredible 2025 season at Florida State, posting a ridiculous slash line of .394/.462/.705. Yes, the Brewers have plenty of middle infield prospects knocking on the door of the majors, but that shouldn't stop them from adding more talent to their organization.

Overall, this offer is one Milwaukee should absolutely consider if offered it. Ritchie would help offset losing Peralta and could be a staple in the Brewers rotation for many years to come, while Lodise is a high-upside infield prospect who could either be flipped in another deal at some point or used to make Milwaukee's other middle infield prospects available in a trade. While it's highly unlikely that this is the exact offer Milwaukee receives from Atlanta at some point this offseason, the point stands that the Braves could be an interesting trade partner to watch out for this winter.