There’s been a long-running debate in MLB about the growing gap between the big-spending powerhouses, like the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees, and the smaller market teams. The heavyweights often get blamed for throwing the league’s balance off by scooping up top talent simply because they can afford to. But what happens when a small-market team, despite playing some of its best baseball in years, decides to trade away its star player?

Well, you wouldn’t expect the Dodgers to shop Shohei Ohtani right now, would you? Yet, that’s kind of what’s going on with the Brewers. Yes, even after their strong run, easily their best postseason showing in a while, despite falling in the NLCS, the team seems ready to twist the knife a little deeper for fans who are still reeling from that loss.

“The Brewers aren’t a serious organization. Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, now Freddy Peralta. These teams are not interested in building true championship-contending teams. Getting rid of your ace after you have the best record in the National League is just bad business. But everyone will blame the Dodgers or Mets for acquiring Peralta and paying him.” MLB insider Ballpark Buzz questioned the intention of the Brewers’ front office.

Yes, you heard that right — the Brewers are reportedly open to trade offers for All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta this offseason. On paper, that might not shock too many fans. President Matt Arnold has always been clear that he’s willing to listen to offers for almost anyone on the roster.

But the timing is what really stings. Peralta just turned 30 in June and is coming off a stellar season with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.075 WHIP, and 33 starts over 176.2 innings. He was the ace that anchored Milwaukee’s success. So, the thought of trading him now, especially if a powerhouse team like the Dodgers steps in, would hit Brewers fans where it hurts most.

Still, the idea of the Brewers trading away their ace really underscores a tough reality—the reality of sustaining with a budget-friendly payroll. For instance, the Brewers just won a franchise-record 97 games in 2025. That too, operating with one of the league’s smaller payrolls. Yet, owner Mark Attanasio doesn’t seem likely to greenlight any major spending sprees.

So, to keep themselves in the mix, they might be turning back to a familiar offseason strategy, trading stars to stay sustainable. Remember two winters ago when they sent former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to Baltimore? That move brought back Joey Ortiz, who’s now their starting shortstop. So, it’s a pattern — the Brewers keep finding ways to plug holes and stay competitive, even if it means saying goodbye to some of their biggest names.

The Brewers are checking a few new names, also

Well, it’s not that the Brewers are only saving up space by trading their top names. They are also reported to be in the race for a few veterans as well. According to  FanSided’s Mark Powell, the first name in this list is the Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer.

But why go for a 41-year-old arm at this stage? Well, it’s again the small-market team economics!!

Max Scherzer’s resume speaks for itself — 8x All-Star, 3x Cy Young winner, and 2x World Series champion. But at 41, he’s clearly not the same dominant force he once was. His regular season wasn’t stellar, though he did turn in a solid performance in his lone postseason start this year.

That said, Scherzer still has value. He could be a smart short-term pickup, probably on another one-year deal, which actually makes him a great fit for the Brewers.

With reports that the Brewers are fielding offers for Freddy Peralta and both Brandon Woodruff and Jose Quintana set to hit free agency, Scherzer could be the type of veteran arm they target. He wouldn’t break the bank and could help bridge the gap while their younger pitchers continue to develop. Plus, having a battle-tested veteran like Scherzer could make a huge difference come playoff time.