Yankees Eyeing 29-Year-Old Brewers All-Star

Could we finally start to see things thaw around Major League Baseball in the near future?

Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to terms on a deal in free agency on Saturday. There are still plenty of high-end free agents out there looking for homes before Spring Training and also trade candidates drawing significant buzz, including Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

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Now, the club arguably shouldn't trade him. He's going to be cheap in 2026 and if the Brewers really want to contend, wouldn't it make sense to have your top starting pitcher in the mix? It would make sense, but there continues to be interest in him around the league. For example, The Athletic's Chris Kirschner and Ken Rosenthal reported that the New York Yankees have interest in him.

Will the Brewers make a move?

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta (51) pitches during the first inning of the National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers October 14, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"With uncertainty surrounding their starting rotation to begin the season, the New York Yankees are talking to the Miami Marlins about a potential trade for starting pitcher Edward Cabrera, league sources told The Athletic," Kirschner and Rosenthal wrote. "Cabrera, 27, is under team control through the 2028 season and is projected to earn $3.7 million in arbitration this year, according to MLB Trade Rumors. As of Sunday morning, no deal was close.

"With discussions around the game picking up with the start of the new year, the Yankees have continued talking to numerous teams and agents, signaling their desire to add at least one more starting pitcher to the mix. They have also continued to discuss Milwaukee Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, who is making $8 million in his final year before free agency."

Milwaukee has significant pitching depth, but at this point, Peralta is the team's ace. If the Brewers trade him away, it would be hard to compare the club to other contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers or Philadelphia Phillies.

The Brewers obviously aren't a big-market team like the Dodgers or Phillies, but they have a shot to contend in part because of Peralta. It's no surprise that a team like the Yankees likes Peralta, but Milwaukee shouldn't let him go.

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