💥 BREAKING NEWS: Brewers are reportedly ‘fretting’ over payroll in a move that could trigger surprise trades across the roster ⚡.MH
The Milwaukee Brewers have been quiet since it was announced that Brandon Woodruff will be returning to the organization after accepting the qualifying offer.
In the immediate aftermath, rumors picked up steam about the possibility of the team trading Freddy Peralta. There have been conflicting reports on the matter. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal has made it sound like a trade is unlikely. FanSided’s Robert Murray has been more bullish on the idea.
On Wednesday, Rosenthal, Will Sammon, and Katie Woo — all of The Athletic — weighed in on Milwaukee and noted that the team is “fretting over their payroll” but also made it sound like a Peralta trade isn’t the likely path to lower payroll.
Should the Brewers consider a Freddy Peralta trade?
“In what has become an annual rite of autumn, the Milwaukee Brewers are fretting over their payroll, according to people briefed on their plans. The possibility exists that the team might need to subtract from their roster in order to add,” Sammon, Rosenthal, and Woo wrote. “Which again raises the question: Will the Brewers trade right-hander Freddy Peralta? After right-hander Brandon Woodruff accepted the team’s one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, both owner Mark Attanasio and general manager Matt Arnold said they were excited about the rotation, indicating they did not view Woodruff’s decision as a prelude to moving Peralta.
“At a salary of $8 million, Peralta is attractive not just to interested clubs, but also to the Brewers. A trade of closer Trevor Megill would save Milwaukee a projected $4.2 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors, while a trade of righty reliever Nick Mears would save $1.6 million. The Brewers likely would not trade both. And neither salary is particularly significant. The best way to create payroll flexibility, then, might be for the Brewers to re-sign Woodruff to a multi-year contract at a lower average annual value. Such a deal also would protect the team against the expected loss of Peralta as a free agent at the end of the season.”
It’s easy to look at Peralta and assume the Brewers could make a move. They have shown in the past that they aren’t afraid to trade a star early before they get expensive, as shown by Corbin Burnes and Josh Hader deals.
But the Brewers are coming off their best regular season in team history and Peralta is extremely inexpensive. So much so that it would be a bad look to move him if the team really wants to contend. They may want to lower payroll, but Peralta shouldn’t be the answer.
