New York Yankees fans are desperate to see general manager Brian Cashman make a big move to strengthen their favorite team's World Series credentials. Swinging a trade for Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta could do just that for New York.
The challenge for Cashman is calibrating an offer that can knock off the competition without massively overpaying for Peralta's services. A host of teams around MLB are interested in acquiring the 30-year-old righthander. Two of those teams, the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles, happen to reside inside the Yankees' own division.
Peralta represents an attractive trade candidate for the Yankees because he has ace level stuff and will only earn $8 million this season. He won't have the same impact as a luminary like Tarik Skubal, but he has all the qualifications to start a meaningful postseason game for a team like New York, especially as rival AL East teams load up on offense.
Moving quickly would be in the Yankees' best interest. Here's a deal that could help New York land their first difference-mover of the offseason.
Some Yankees fans might feel like this package is an overpay, but it's the sort of capital Cashman will need to part with to fend off the competition. Jose Caballero can arrive and become the Brewers' immediate starter at shortstop. He would give Milwaukee a significant upgrade over Joey Ortiz.
Some media members have suggested the Brewers might prefer to add a pitcher with major league experience to directly replace Peralta in a potential trade. That kind of thinking might force Milwaukee's front office to accept a hurler with limited upside.
In this deal, they manage to get a top-five prospect from the Yankees in Elmer Rodriguez. He is not a proven major league commodity, but New York's front office believes he's ready to hit the Bronx in 2026. The Brewers can afford to roll the dice and let him start the year in their starting rotation. If he hits, they could end up with a pitcher who rivals Peralta's impact at the big league level. Even if he falls short, he would give the Brewers a cheap replacement to trot out to the bump every five games.
Is this an overpay for the Yankees?
There are two major drawbacks to this package from the Yankees perspective. Giving up Rodriguez robs them of a valuable prospect who could help their club this season. Parting with him for a player who is set to hit free agency after the 2026 campaign would be a calculated risk for Cashman and the team's front office.
The more troubling reality for the Yankees might well be parting with Caballero. Anthony Volpe struggled mightily last season and may not be healthy when Opening Day arrives. Losing Caballero would, at best, cost New York a high-quality backup at a premium position. At worst, it would cost Cashman a player that could supplant Volpe if his performance doesn't improve.
Those are two serious concerns for the Yankees, but they don't make this package an overpay for a pitcher of Peralta's caliber. He could potentially give New York a dominant quartet of starting pitchers if everyone is healthy when the postseason begins. The Yankees would be a real threat in any postseason series where they can start Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon and Peralta.
The bottom line is the Yankees need to cash in some of their prospect chips to improve the big league club. This deal isn't absent of risk, but it allows Cashman to do just that for his club.