As the 2026 season inches closer, the Braves remain one of baseball’s most aggressive and calculated front offices. And true to form, they’ve checked off nearly every box on their offseason wish list. Alex Anthopoulos made it clear early on: Atlanta was going shopping for help at shortstop, in the bullpen, and in the starting rotation. Add a bat if possible? That would just be the cherry on top.
Peralta’s Stock Is Soaring, and the Braves Know It
Fast forward to now, and the shopping cart is just about full. Shortstop? Handled. Bullpen? Reinforced. A power bat? Scooped. But that one nagging item is a starting pitcher, which is still unchecked. And that’s where the rumor mill spins into high gear.
According to reports, the Braves are kicking the tires on a few names, with Milwaukee Brewers righty Freddy Peralta standing out as a potential target. But as with anything worth having in Major League Baseball, it won’t come cheap.
Peralta is not your run-of-the-mill rotation arm. He’s entering his age-30 season on the back of a campaign that saw him post a stellar 2.70 ERA (65 ERA-) with a 3.6 fWAR across nearly 177 innings. That’s ace-level production, especially for a team with playoff aspirations. That also means the Brewers, who hold club control over him for one more year, have no reason to sell low. If anything, they’re looking to retool, not rebuild, and any trade would likely require a big-league-ready arm in return.
Braves Face a Familiar Dilemma: Prospect Hoarding vs. Win-Now Urgency
That’s where things get complicated for Atlanta. Anthopoulos and Co. are reportedly reluctant to move their better pitching prospects, and understandably so. They’ve built one of the deepest and most cost-controlled rosters in the league by not panicking in deals like these. The Braves have been methodical in recent years, calculated even in their boldest swings.
That’s not to say they won’t swing.
Of course, Peralta isn’t the only name being floated. Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore is also on the radar, though any inter-division trade of that magnitude would be borderline shocking. There’s also the trio of Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, and Zac Gallen still hovering in the free agency ether. Atlanta could play the waiting game and look for a bargain there, especially if prices drop closer to spring training.
October Is the Target, But Rotation Depth Will Determine the Path
But make no mistake: if the Braves are aiming for another deep October run, a rotation upgrade isn’t just a luxury. It’s a necessity. Spencer Strider and Max Fried headline the staff, but depth is what separates contenders from champions. And Freddy Peralta, with his swing-and-miss stuff and proven durability, fits the bill.
The question now isn’t if the Braves will make another move, it’s how bold they’re willing to be to get it done.
