When the New York Mets traded for Brewers ace Freddy Peralta on Wednesday night, they closed one door and opened another for teams in need of frontline starting pitching. Peralta was not cheap, but the price tag wasn't as expensive as expected given the previous trades for starting pitching this offseason. The main difference between Peralta and those pitchers? He is on an expiring contract.
This is good news for contenders around the league hoping to acquire an ace-level talent. It's bad news for the Tigers, who are expected to make Tarik Skubal available entering the season and leading up to the trade deadline. Whether any trade comes to fruition, however, depends on the aggressiveness of rival front offices.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles could go into the season with their current starting rotation and wait to upgrade until the deadline. It's a tactic they've tried before, unsuccessfully I might add. The Orioles have made additions around the margins this winter with their starting pitching, namely signing Zach Eflin and trading for Shane Baz. However, that won't be nearly enough if Baltimore hopes to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.
Rival executives expect the Baltimore Orioles to be the next team to pluck a front-line starter from the free-agent market now that the New York Mets are out of the mix after acquiring Freddy Peralta.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 22, 2026
Thankfully for Baltimore, Skubal is available. The Dodgers happily admitted they won't pursue starting pitching again this offseason, while the Mets added Peralta. That leaves the Tigers without any obvious suitor for Skubal. Perhaps Mike Elias, who is just a couple years removed from trading for another disgruntled ace, Corbin Burnes, prior to the 2024 regular season, could stage another coup.
Skubal won't come cheap, but the Tigers will also be forced to lower their asking price due to the low number of suitors and their arbitration dilemma. Detroit's front office filed at $19 million while Skubal wants $32 million. Good luck with that! The Orioles can save the Tigers from themselves, as they have a litany of young stars who could help Detroit retool on the fly.
Atlanta Braves
Framber Valdez just wants you to know he's a good person. Prior to this offseason, Valdez was reportedly in damage control mode with both the Astros and interested suitors, letting them know that he, in fact, did not intentionally cross up his catcher in Houston. That would be a bad look for a bad person.
Framber Valdez's cross-up with César Salazar is likely contributing to his slow market, but @Ken_Rosenthal still expects him to get a nice deal.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 22, 2026
"He's really good, and there's not a lot of starting pitchers of his caliber in this sport right now." pic.twitter.com/DbJIGUvIQ9
But Valdez is the best starting pitcher available after Ranger Suarez signed with the Boston Red Sox. His catcher cross-up could cost him some money on what's been a slow market for free-agent starting pitchers. That should only help a team like the Braves, which has an elite rotation (when healthy) but quite frankly needs more bodies. Adding Valdez to a group that already includes Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Reynaldo Lopez is borderline unfair.
If Valdez's price comes down, the Braves will have plenty of competition. But Alex Anthopoulos can give new Atlanta manager Walt Weiss the rotation of his dreams to start his first season in charge.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies don't need an ace, but after losing Ranger Suarez to the Red Sox, and watching Bo Bichette and Peralta land with the rival Mets, this organization desperately needs a win. Zack Wheeler suffered a serious shoulder injury last season and is expected to return at some point in 2026, but it will put the Phillies rotation behind the eight ball to begin the year.
So, why not sign a local product? Zac Gallen shut down the Phillies in the 2023 postseason, leading the Diamondbacks to the World Series in the process. He is also from Somerdale, New Jersey. The chance to play closer to home appeals to most players. Thus far, Gallen has been most closely connected to the Chicago Cubs, but that could change here relatively quickly.
Phillies Rotation Order | Name |
|---|---|
1 | Cristopher Sanchez |
2 | Jesus Luzardo |
3 | Aaron Nola |
4 | Taijuan Walker |
5 | Andrew Painter |
The Phillies current rotation, headlined by Christopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo, could use a bit more meat in the middle. It'd look a lot better with Gallen back in a familiar setting, and getting the fresh start he desperately needs.