Possible Red Sox trade just gained steam after shocking Brewers QO decision

The idea of a Freddy Peralta-Boston Red Sox trade has suddenly been rekindled. Although Milwaukee Brewers GM Matt Arnold said during last week’s GM Meetings that he isn’t interested in trading Peralta and would have to be blown away by an offer, a new development might alter Arnold’s stance: Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff just accepted his $22.025 million qualifying offer.

As soon as the Woodruff news hit, fans and analysts alike began wondering if the ever-frugal Brewers will want to avoid paying both Woodruff and Peralta in 2026, potentially opening the door for a trade.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan and FanSided’s MLB insider Robert Murray were among the voices suggesting that Woodruff’s return could mean Peralta’s departure. Naturally, Red Sox fans are loving all of this.

The Red Sox and Peralta would be a perfect match, with Peralta sliding in behind Garrett Crochet in the rotation and effectively becoming one of the game's best No. 2 starters. There's a reason Jon Morosi of MLB Network and others have been adamant about a Peralta-Boston marriage.

Red Sox-Freddy Peralta trade buzz is totally back on after Brandon Woodruff accepted his qualifying offer

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow wouldn't hesitate for a second over Peralta's $8 million owed in 2026, even if the Brewers don't want to deal with that figure on top of Woodruff's $22 million. The more interesting element of a potential Peralta-Red Sox deal would be what the Brewers would ask for in return, most notably in the form of prospect capital.

Only a year ago, Milwaukee got the best of the New York Yankees by poaching up-and-coming infielder Caleb Durbin (now an established MLB asset) by handing over the Yanks an All-Star pitcher in Devin Williams.

Presumably, the Brewers would hope for a similar trade scenario if they began entertaining a Peralta-Red Sox deal. Arnold might be eyeing Boston's young talent at this very moment.

After all, the Brewers just turned Red Sox prospect/castoff Quinn Priester into one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the entire National League (at least in 2025). If there's another young star in Boston's system that Milwaukee feels it could provide a better stage for, a Peralta deal might be the perfect opportunity to snag him.

In the hours following Passan's and Murray's reporting, there was a healthy amount of reactionary takes emanating from Milwaukee media asserting that the Brewers are still very much interested in keeping Peralta, despite the Woodruff stuff. Fair enough.

Everyone else knows the recent history of the Brewers, however. Seeing Peralta in Milwaukee on Opening Day would be more surprising than any other outcome, and Red Sox fans are well aware of that.