The Boston Red Sox have already made some noise this offseason, reshaping their rotation with the additions of Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. But it sounds like they’re not done yet. According to recent reports, Boston is still in the market for impact bats - with Alex Bregman’s name floating around - and now, they’ve been linked to one of the more intriguing arms potentially available this winter: Freddy Peralta.
Peralta, fresh off a career year, is drawing interest from multiple teams, and the Red Sox are reportedly among them. The Brewers picked up his $8 million club option for next season, but with free agency looming after that, Milwaukee could be looking to move him now while his value is high. And for Boston, this is the kind of opportunity that could reshape the top of their rotation.
Let’s talk about what Peralta brings to the table. He’s a two-time All-Star, and he’s been one of the most consistent strikeout artists in the game over the past few seasons.
Last year, he posted a 2.70 ERA across 33 starts and topped 200 strikeouts for the third straight season - the kind of production that puts him firmly in the upper tier of MLB starters. If Boston were to land him, he’d slot in as the No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet, pushing Brayan Bello, Gray, and Oviedo into more favorable matchups deeper in the rotation.
That’s a group that suddenly looks a lot more dangerous.
So why would Milwaukee move a pitcher of Peralta’s caliber, especially when he’s only making $8 million? That’s just how the Brewers operate.
They’ve made a habit of moving high-end talent before it hits the open market - Devin Williams, Josh Hader, and Corbin Burnes all come to mind. It’s a function of being a small-market team that knows it won’t win a bidding war when the time comes to pay up.
For Boston, this could be a low-risk, high-reward play. Peralta isn’t going to break the bank, and with just one year of control left, the asking price in terms of prospects likely won’t be as steep as it was for someone like Crochet. That flexibility matters, especially if the Red Sox have their eyes on the bigger picture.
And that brings us to Tarik Skubal. The Tigers lefty has been the subject of trade chatter all winter, but he’s also viewed as a potential headliner of next offseason’s free-agent class.
Teams might be hesitant to give up a haul for him now, knowing he could walk in a year. But come next winter, expect a full-on bidding war.
If Boston wants to be in that mix, committing long-term dollars or prospects to a different arm now could muddy the waters.
That’s where Peralta fits in so well. He gives the Red Sox a legitimate top-of-the-rotation arm right now, without locking them into a long-term deal.
And if things go well? They’ll have the inside track on re-signing him.
If not, they stay flexible for a run at someone like Skubal.
Bottom line: Freddy Peralta is the kind of move that makes sense for where the Red Sox are right now. He upgrades the rotation immediately, doesn’t tie up future payroll, and keeps the team in position to make a splash again next offseason. If he’s truly available, Boston would be hard-pressed to find a more ideal fit.