MLB rumors: Brewers expected to gauge the market for Freddy Peralta; Astros roll the dice on rotation depth
Here are some early hot stove rumors
By
Mike Axisa
•
3 min read
Saturday is an off day in the postseason while we wait to find out whether the Blue Jays or Mariners will face the Dodgers in the 2025 World Series. The ALCS resumes Sunday night in Toronto. A Mariners win sends them to the postseason for the first time in franchise history. A Blue Jays win gives us a Game 7 on Monday. Until then, here are a few early hot stove nuggets.
Brewers expected to listen to offers for Peralta
Not surprisingly, the Brewers are expected to listen to offers for ace Freddy Peralta this offseason, reports The Athletic. Milwaukee has a history of trading their top players one year before free agency (Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, etc.), and Peralta is at that point now. The Brewers will pick up his bargain $8 million club option, then gauge the market. A high-end pitcher with an affordable salary will generate a ton of trade interest.
"I've been here forever and I love this. I love the city of Milwaukee, the team, everyone here. And that's coming from the bottom of my heart," Peralta said after the Brewers were eliminated in the NLCS (via MLB.com). "At the end of the day, I understand this is a business, and anything can happen."
Peralta, 29, had another terrific season, and he has been one of baseball's best pitchers the last five years. He is one of only 11 pitchers to make at least 30 starts in each of the previous three seasons, and he's a two-time All-Star who has pitched in six different postseasons. If Peralta is not an ace, he's darn close to one, and he's signed dirt cheap. The Brewers figure to receive multiple quality young players in return if they do trade him this winter.
Astros sign Pearson
The Astros have signed right-hander Nate Pearson to a one-year, $1.35 million contract and will give him the opportunity to start, reports The Athletic. The Cubs released Pearson in September, which allowed him to sign as a free agent now rather than have to wait until after the World Series like everyone else. The 29-year-old Florida native allowed 15 runs with more walks (10) than strikeouts (seven) in 14 ⅔ innings with Chicago this season. He spent most of the year in Triple-A.
Pearson has not worked as a starter since 2021 and he has not made more than six starts in a season since 2019. He's had a hard time throwing strikes and being effective in relief, so succeeding as a starter might be a long shot. That said, the Astros can see what Pearson does as a starter in spring training and easily shift him to the bullpen if it doesn't work. Longtime ace Framber Valdez is a free agent this offseason. Houston's rotation depth chart behind Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier is very thin.
Maldonado announces retirement
Veteran catcher Martín Maldonado announced his retirement on social media Saturday. "I was just four years old when I fell in love with [baseball]. From the moment I first put on that catcher's gear, I knew this game would be part of me forever. Every inning, every pitch, every moment behind the plate has been a blessing. For 34 years, I've had the honor of wearing that gear -- and for the last 15, doing it at the highest level. Today, it's time to hang them up and officially call it a career," he wrote.
Maldonado, 39, spent 2025 with the Padres and was part of their Wild Card Series roster. Never much of a hitter (career .620 OPS), Maldonado was a standout defender behind the plate who was long a favorite among pitchers. He played the majority of his career with the Astros (2018, 2019-23) and won a World Series championship with their 2022 team. Maldonado played 15 seasons in the big leagues and appeared in 1,230 games, and won a Gold Glove with the Angels in 2017.
