In 2025, the Milwaukee Brewers had the best regular season record in baseball with 97 wins, but their hopes of winning the championship fell apart against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manager Pat Murphy now faces a defining offseason. Freddy Peralta’s brilliant play puts him at the center of the Brewers’ plans for 2026. Now, Murphy’s decision to keep his ace or look for trade options will have a big impact on the organization’s future in terms of competition.

The right-handed pitcher had a 5.5 WAR, a 17-6 record, and a great 2.70 ERA while striking out batters at a 3.09 ratio. His 1.075 WHIP showed that he had amazing command and control. This is a vast improvement over 2024, when Peralta had a 2.5 WAR, an 11-9 record, and a 3.68 ERA. His rise from an inconsistent contributor to an ace-caliber performer shows how valuable he is and how hard it will be for the Brewers to decide what to do with him.

“However, the team will have work to do in the rotation if it trades ace Peralta or sees Woodruff decline a $20 million mutual option. The lineup could return nearly intact. Your mileage will vary on whether that lineup will one day survive October pitching,” according to The Athletic’s Stephen J. Nesbitt.

Trading Peralta gives the payroll more flexibility, but it could break up a rotation that was very good during the regular season. Keeping him means stability, but it also means less money to meet other needs. This problem makes Murphy’s 2026 plan look bad and forces him to make hard decisions that will have long-term effects.

Woodruff’s mutual option sets a clear financial limit.

The $20 million deal gives the right-handed pitcher leverage in contract talks. If he can get more guaranteed money from another team than Milwaukee is offering, he can test free agency. If Woodruff turns down the mutual option and goes to the open market, the Brewers will lose a stabilizing force in their rotation. This situation makes things even harder for the organization if Peralta’s future is still up in the air.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ strategy of using 55 different players over the course of 2025 worked well against regular competition, but it fell short when the playoffs got more intense.

Murphy’s philosophy for running an organization is based on depth and flexibility, but that didn’t work with what was needed in October. The franchise now has to decide if Peralta’s availability, along with keeping their core lineup for 2026, is the key to a breakthrough in October or another early playoff exit.

Brewers face critical choices this offseason

The team’s postseason collapse showed weaknesses that their regular-season dominance had hidden. Using different players gave the Milwaukee Brewers flexibility but not stability. Murphy’s philosophy of adaptability didn’t work against experienced opponents, which raised uncomfortable questions about how to build a roster.

The group is seriously considering trading Peralta, which would be a huge change in direction. Brandon Woodruff’s future is up in the air as he looks into how much he is worth on the market. The right-handed pitcher has caught the attention of big-name teams, putting himself in a good position for a big deal. Woodruff had a 3.20 ERA and an 83/14 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 64⅔ innings.

“Fortunately, Woodruff’s season-ending setback in his return from shoulder surgery proved to be a lat strain and not something that figures to carry over into 2026,” Pouliot wrote. “Even though his velocity was down about three mph from his prime, the right-hander performed incredibly well after his summer return, amassing a 3.20 ERA and an 83/14 K/BB in 64 2/3 innings. No one is going to want to risk a particularly long-term contract, so Woodruff might take a deal that allows him to opt out after one year.”

The Brewers have a math problem now.

They need to keep their best pitchers or spend money to try to get Woodruff’s signature. If the Brewers traded Peralta, they would have a lot of room in their payroll. However, it is still hard for Milwaukee’s front office to outbid teams in bigger markets.

The franchise needs to make decisions quickly.

If they hesitate, the competitors will have an advantage. Clarity speeds up the organization’s path forward, whether Murphy chooses to rebuild around Woodruff or completely change the rotation. The 2026 season will show whether this offseason brought about change or kept things the same.