Ask a Boston Red Sox fan what the team needs most this offseason, and you'll probably be met with one of two answers. Either they'll say the team needs a power-hitting third baseman sans Alex Bregman, or that the rotation desperately needs a co-ace for Garrett Crochet.
Regardless of how the team prioritizes those two needs, they both need to be addressed this offseason. The free-agent market is ripe with a few options in both domains — Bregman, Bo Bichette, and Eugenio Suarez are star infielders, while Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, and Ranger Suarez define the pitching market — but the team's best option to find suitable answers at reasonable costs will likely come via trade.
The Red Sox have seemingly been connected to every big-name starter on the trade market this winter, including both Tarik Skubal and Hunter Greene. However, there's another ace available who doesn't grab as many headlines, and he may in fact be the best fit for what the this team needs.
Red Sox fans, prepare to become obsessed with Freddy Peralta.
Freddy Peralta ➡️ Boston?@jonmorosi mentions the Red Sox as an interesting fit for the 2x All-Star if he is moved this offseason.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 10, 2025
“I think [they're] one starting pitcher away from making a real run at this…” pic.twitter.com/G51iJcIuMY
Freddy Peralta is the perfect trade target for Red Sox this offseason
"One team I'll mention [as a suitor for Peralta] is the Red Sox," MLB insider Jon Morosi said on MLB Network prior to the annual general manager meetings in Las Vegas. "The Red Sox, when you consider Garrett Crochet and what they've been able to build there [by] getting back to the playoffs in 2025, they're, I think, one starting pitcher away from making a real run at this."
Peralta has been the ace of the Milwaukee Brewers ever since they traded away Corbin Burnes, and his track record is simply fantastic. He's thrown at least 165 innings in each of the past three seasons, and his ERA hasn't climbed above 4.00 since 2019. Plus, 2025 was a career-best season for the 29-year-old as he authored a 2.70 ERA in 176 2/3 innings, good for 3.6 fWAR.
The frontline starter has a deep arsenal and is one of the best pitchers in the league when it comes to pitch sequencing, a skill Andrew Bailey and Craig Breslow covet. His experience in the postseason is also a huge bonus for a Red Sox team on the rise.
For those worried about Peralta's cost, know that he'll be worth significantly less in a trade than Skubal, despite both being rentals for the 2026 season. As Morosi notes in his segment, the Brewers have made a habit of trading their best pitchers prior to them reaching free agency. They won't hesitate to pull the trigger on a deal, especially if it means the opportunity to raid the Red Sox's loaded farm system.
The fit here is obvious, and Breslow knows Peralta well from his time in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs. If he believes he can get the right-hander to sign an extension in Boston after a trade, there's no reason why the Red Sox shouldn't sell out to get Peralta and Crochet in the same rotation.