Brewers reportedly concerned about 2026 payroll; what does it mean for Freddy Peralta?

According to recent reporting from The Athletic’s MLB Staff (Will Sammon, Ken Rosenthal, and Katie Woo), the Brewers are “fretting over their payroll.” Here’s the full blurb:

In what has become an annual rite of autumn, the Milwaukee Brewers are fretting over their payroll, according to people briefed on their plans. The possibility exists that the team might need to subtract from their roster in order to add.

Which again raises the question: Will the Brewers trade right-hander Freddy Peralta?

After right-hander Brandon Woodruff accepted the team’s one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, both owner Mark Attanasio and general manager Matt Arnold said they were excited about the rotation, indicating they did not view Woodruff’s decision as a prelude to moving Peralta.

At a salary of $8 million, Peralta is attractive not just to interested clubs, but also to the Brewers. A trade of closer Trevor Megill would save Milwaukee a projected $4.2 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors, while a trade of righty reliever Nick Mears would save $1.6 million. The Brewers likely would not trade both. And neither salary is particularly significant.

The best way to create payroll flexibility, then, might be for the Brewers to re-sign Woodruff to a multi-year contract at a lower average annual value. Such a deal also would protect the team against the expected loss of Peralta as a free agent at the end of the season.

Given that Freddy Peralta’s salary is set for $8 million in his final season before entering free agency, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his name continues to come up in trade rumors. The Brewers have been known to part with stars before expiring contracts in recent years, including Josh Hader (2022), Corbin Burnes (prior to 2024), and Devin Williams (prior to 2025), opting to capitalize on their value rather than letting them walk in free agency.

After Brandon Woodruff accepted the $22.025 million qualifying offer, the Brewers’ projected payroll for 2026 sits at $136 million, well above the team’s $123 million payroll for 2025. While there aren’t many holes in the roster entering December, the front office is certainly still looking for some depth pieces, and parting with expensive contracts may be the best way to do that.

As mentioned in The Athletic’s article, the Brewers could part with Peralta, closer Trevor Megill ($4.2 million projection), and/or reliever Nick Mears ($1.6 million) to save themselves some money. If they trade any of those pieces, it’s likely Matt Arnold and Co. would be looking for some young, cheap players in return.

Take the Burnes’ trade or the Williams’ trade as clear examples. Burnes netted the Brewers a pair of MLB-ready prospects in Joey Ortiz and DL Hall along with a draft pick (which ultimately became Milwaukee’s No. 29 prospect, Blake Burke, who was taken with the No. 34 overall pick in 2024). Williams turned into Nestor Cortes (who was later dealt to the Padres at the trade deadline) and infielder Caleb Durbin, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

If the reports about Milwaukee’s concerns are accurate, Peralta seems like the most likely trade candidate, as his higher salary (I know $8 million doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is for the Brewers, even in today’s high-payroll league) would take pressure off the front office, and it would allow the Crew to deal from a place of depth and improve elsewhere.

Entering 2026, Milwaukee’s rotation options include Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, and Tobias Myers, not to mention DL Hall and Aaron Ashby, both of whom have the ability to start and provide length. Carlos Rodriguez is another option, and prospect Coleman Crow was added to the 40-man roster earlier this month to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, meaning we could see him in the majors soon, too.

For those of you counting, that’s 11 realistic rotation options. Are any of them (with the exception of maybe Woodruff) as good as Peralta? No. But I, for one, have plenty of faith in the Brewers’ pitching lab, and the rotation hasn’t been the issue in recent years.

A Peralta trade could mean Milwaukee adds to its depth in the minors, or, if they’re looking for MLB-ready talent, the Brewers could be looking for a backup catcher as Jeferson Quero nears the majors, some infield help after Ortiz’s rough 2025, or some more pitching help. After all, there’s no such thing as too much pitching.

While I know the majority of fans don’t like the idea of Peralta being shipped out with one year left on his contract, that might be the only option for a small-market team like the Brewers, especially in the wake of Woodruff accepting his QO. What do you think the Brewers should do?