Brewers Should Pounce if Padres Make Reliable Lefty Reliever Available

The Brewers have a need for bullpen help.

Jul 10, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Wandy Peralta (58) delivers during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers are up seven games in the National League Central over the Chicago Cubs as the trade deadline creeps closer. August 3 is the day that it happens, and the Brewers will have some holes to fill if they want to take down the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs.

One of their biggest needs is bullpen help. They could use a little help towards the end of games to bridge the gap to closer Trevor Megill.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post notes that if the San Diego Padres end up selling, Peralta is somebody that they could dangle in trade talks. Perhaps the Brewers could pounce if he is made available.

One Padres reliever actively being discussed in trades is Wandy Peralta, solid lefty with a 2.32 ERA

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 22, 2026

Wandy Peralta could fill Brewers bullpen needs

Jul 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Wandy Peralta (58) delivers during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Peralta has been with the Padres since 2024 since he was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Juan Soto trade. He has pitched with the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants in addition to the Padres and Yankees.

The 34-year-old left-hander is on an expiring contract and has put together a very good season thus far, going 1-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 44 appearances over 50 2/3 innings of work.

The Brewers have the prospects to make a big splash at the deadline, but they likely would not need to give up anything substantial to land Peralta. Another left-handed option certainly can't hurt for the Brewers as they try to lock up yet another NL Central title and return to the postseason.

They are just a half-game back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in Major League Baseball, so they may be the team best equipped to take down Los Angeles in the postseason. Building a strong bullpen could give them the boost they need to at least give the Dodgers a run for their money after losing to them in the NLCS last October.

Peralta owns a career 3.70 ERA and could be of good use against some of the better left-handed bats in the National League such as Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Matt Olson, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Max Muncy if the Brewers face them in the playoffs.

It should be interesting to see how Matt Arnold attacks the deadline. One more left-handed pitcher could be very helpful for the Brewers as they focus on trying to make a run and get deeper into October this coming fall.