Red Sox Suggested Blockbuster Lands $16 Million All-Star From Familiar Trade Partner

Could Boston add another front-line starter?

Jul 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's too early to make any firm judgments, but so far, the Boston Red Sox's starting pitching has been a mixed bag.

New ace Garrett Crochet looks as though he'll be positively electric. However, Walker Buehler and Tanner Houck are both off to slow starts, while Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, and Lucas Giolito all remain on the injured list.

When this group gets healthy, the Red Sox can reassess whether or not they need more support. But because this is a win-now team at long last, it wouldn't be a shocker to see the Red Sox go after one of the top starters available at this year's trade deadline.

While it may also be a bit early to predict who those available arms will be, one baseball writer has a name bookmarked as a potential Red Sox target.

On Sunday, Athlon's Jon Conahan named Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day starter Freddy Peralta as a fit for the Red Sox. Concidentally, the Red Sox and Brewers teamed up on a trade involving a starting pitcher on Monday, but it was Boston shipping Quinn Priester to Milwaukee.

"If Peralta is available, the Milwaukee Brewers will likely seek a decent prospect haul," Conahan wrote. "The Red Sox are realistically one of the teams around Major League Baseball that could give them exactly what they're looking for, making this a logical trade for both sides."

The 28-year-old Peralta is in his eighth year with the Brewers, but really began hitting his stride in 2021, when he was named an All-Star. Then, after struggling to stay healthy in 2022, he struck out a career-high 210 batters in 2023 and backed it up with an even 200 last season.

Peralta is making only $8 million this season, with an $8 million club option for 2026 that will be an absolute no-brainer to pick up. While the Brewers might not want to trade him a year early because he's so affordable, that could also be their route to getting the best possible prospect package.

Based on the trade made Monday, it doesn't seem as if the Brewers are getting ready to throw in the towel yet. But if they fall out of the playoff race by July, they could very well look to capitalize on Peralta as their best available asset.

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