The Yankees are sitting on a powder keg of potential in their starting rotation, but general manager Brian Cashman has the opportunity to light the fuse and turn this unit into a legitimate super-team.
While the current group is a fascinating blend of veteran grit and youthful upside, adding a bona fide ace like Freddy Peralta would transform the staff from “good” to “great.” With Gerrit Cole recovering from Tommy John surgery and Carlos Rodon working his way back from a bone chip removal in his elbow, the Yankees need certainty at the top of the rotation—and Peralta offers exactly that.
A Rotation in Transition but Loaded with Talent
Even with the injury concerns, the Yankees’ cupboard is far from bare. They have received tremendous production from Max Fried, who was a workhorse in 2025, tossing 195.1 innings to the tune of a 2.86 ERA and a 19-5 record. Fried’s ability to keep the ball on the ground (89th percentile ground ball rate) and limit hard contact makes him the perfect stabilizer while the other aces recover.
Behind him, the youth movement is arriving ahead of schedule. Cam Schlittler flashed ace potential in his debut season, posting a 2.96 ERA over 73 innings while averaging 97.9 mph on his fastball (94th percentile). When you combine Schlittler’s electric arm with innings eaters like Will Warren and high-upside prospects like Elmer Rodriguez waiting in the wings, the Yankees have the depth to survive. But to thrive in October, they need another hammer.
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Why Freddy Peralta is the Missing Link
This is where Freddy Peralta enters the conversation. The 29-year-old Brewers ace is coming off a dominant 2025 campaign where he went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA and struck out 204 batters. His arsenal is specifically designed to miss bats, ranking in the 96th percentile for offspeed run value and the 97th percentile for pitching run value.
Acquiring Peralta would give the Yankees a devastating right-handed complement to Fried’s lefty finesse, creating a playoff rotation that no lineup wants to face.
The Yankees have been disciplined this winter, as evidenced by reports that the Yankees didn’t make an offer for Michael King because they have other targets on the radar. This patience suggests they are hunting for a specific type of upgrade—one that Peralta fits perfectly.
The Cost of Doing Business: A Mock Trade
Acquiring a 29-year-old ace under team control is never cheap, and the Yankees would have to dip into their prospect capital. Although the Yankees are sitting on a $40 million treasure chest, it is not enough to solve every problem via free agency, making a trade the most logical path.
Mock Trade Proposal:
- Yankees Receive: RHP Freddy Peralta
- Brewers Receive: OF Spencer Jones, RHP Will Warren, and RHP Eric Reyzelman
This package gives Milwaukee a blue-chip outfield prospect in Jones and two MLB-ready arms to plug immediately into their system. For the Yankees, it hurts to lose the depth, but adding Peralta to a rotation that will eventually feature a healthy Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, and Cam Schlittler is a move you make ten times out of ten.
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