Should Red Sox Still Pursue Trade For Two-Time All-Star After Shane Baz Deal Sets Market?

The Boston Red Sox have already addressed the starting rotation with trades for Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. However, they are reportedly interested in Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta.

According to The Athletic on Dec. 10, the Red Sox are among the teams interested in Peralta. He is one year away from free agency and is playing on an $8 million club option next season. While he is affordable for the Brewers right now, the team may feel it’s time to trade him before they cannot afford him, just as they did with Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams and Josh Hader.

It was expected to take a haul to land Peralta before, but after Shane Baz was dealt for four top 30 prospects and a 2026 Competitive Balance Round A Draft pick, Peralta’s asking price could have gone up. Baz had three more years of control, playing into the massive return, but he is not near the level of pitcher Peralta.

Baz has a 4.25 career ERA and had a 4.87 ERA in 31 starts. He is younger than Peralta, but Peralta is already a proven ace. He is a two-time All-Star and is coming off the best year of his career.

Peralta had a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts and notched at least 200 strikeouts for the third consecutive season. With just one year of control left, it’s unlikely he will demand the same haul as Baz, but the Brewers can likely up their asking price after seeing what Baz was dealt for.

Baz is expected to be a middle-rotation arm for the Baltimore Orioles. If that was able to net four great prospects, Peralta may be able to yield the Brewers at least two top 30 prospects. When the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes, they got DL Hall and Joey Ortiz, who was a top 100 prospect at the time.

The market is different every year, and Baz’s deal may have made it significantly harder to land Peralta. While he would certainly improve the Red Sox and be their No. 2 starter, the price to land him may not be worth it.

Just one year after trading away four top 30 prospects to acquire Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox may not want to deplete the farm system again for one year of Peralta.