Reds should hold firm while NL Central rival gambles on major offseason trade

There's already been a lot of trade chatter surrounding Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene, and the MLB offseason has yet to officially begin. The majority of fans hope these Reds rumors don't amount to anything, but one of Cincinnati's biggest rivals is reportedly looking to pull off a blockbuster trade of their own.

According to Andy McCullough of The Athletic (subscription required), the Milwaukee Brewers are considering trading their ace, Freddy Peralta, after the team's playoff exit at the hand of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Peralta is heading into the final year of his contract with the Brewers and will be a free agent after the 2026 season.

Much like Greene, Peralta's contract is extremely affordable ($8 million) and he's sure to attract a number of suitors if Milwaukee truly makes him available this offseason. Given the Brewers history of moving top-flight pitchers entering their final year of team-control, the notion that Milwaukee will move Peralta ahead of Opening Day next season is very real.

Reds should hold tight to Hunter Greene while the Brewers gamble on major offseason trade for Freddy Peralta

But this latest development could (and should) impact the Reds decision-making this offseason. If Nick Krall and Reds front office had ideas of trading Greene this winter, perhaps they should put those plans on hold for the moment and concentrate on winning the NL Central in 2026.

Though the Brewers have a habit of proving the doubters wrong, there's no way one can argue that Milwaukee will be a better team in 2026 without Peralta. Fastball Freddy started 33 games for the Brew Crew this past season and posted a 2.70 ERA with 205 strikeouts over 176⅔ innings of work. Peralta has been a stalwart performer the past three seasons with 30 or more starts since 2022 and a collective 3.40 ERA.

Peralta has also been a thorn in the side of the Reds for years. In 22 games versus the Reds, Peralta owns a 3.45 ERA with 120 punch outs over 91 innings pitched. The right-hander has held Cincinnati to a meager .208/278/.381 slash line during his tenure in Milwaukee.

Trading Greene is certainly an option for the Reds this winter, and shouldn't be completely dismissed. That said, much like the Brewers are likely to step back if they decide to trade Peralta this offseason, the Reds would be in the same boat if Greene was absent from the rotation.

There are others ways to improve the roster without trading away your best pitcher, and Cincinnati should investigate those avenues before blindly shopping Greene to help bolster the lineup.