A 4-0 sweep in the NLCS was not how the Milwaukee Brewers wanted their season to end, one in which they won a franchise-record 97 games and boasted MLB’s best record. Milwaukee’s collective slump at the plate was the story of the series, but even on the mound, they were clearly overmatched. Whereas the Brewers were forced to cobble together bullpen games, the Dodgers ran out ace after ace and got enough thump out of their high-powered, highly paid lineup to make easy work of the smalltown Brewers.
Even ace Freddy Peralta couldn’t keep Dodger hitters at bay, allowing three runs and a pair of homers in his sole start in the series. And for Peralta, who is tied with Christian Yelich for longest-tenured Brewer behind Brandon Woodruff, 2025 might have been his last full season in Milwaukee. “I have no idea,” he said when asked about his looming free agency next winter. But while his future is undecided, he has only love for the city of Milwaukee, the franchise, and its fans.
“What I can say is that I’ve been here forever,” Peralta said. “And I love this. I love the city of Milwaukee, the team, everyone here. And that’s coming from the bottom of my heart. At the end of the day I understand this is a business and anything can happen. But I’m really happy about my journey here, about everything, and how special it’s been for me and my family. All the treatment that I’ve been getting from everyone here, the city, it’s been amazing.”
Whether he stays or not, Peralta has paid his Brewers dues
The Brewers acquired Peralta back in 2015 in a trade with Seattle for first baseman Adam Lind. The Dominican Republic native was just 19 years old and pitching in rookie ball. He debuted for the Brewers three years later and pitched his way onto the playoff roster in a relief role.
Since then, he has become the ace of the staff. 2025 shines as his most successful season yet. Peralta made a career-high 33 starts, went 17-6 to lead the NL in wins, and made his second All-Star team. He posted a 2.70 ERA, a 5.5 WAR, and racked up 204 strikeouts – his third straight season of 200 or more. At one point, he put together a streak of 30 scoreless innings. Opponents mustered just a .193 batting average against him.
Next year, he has an $8 million club option that the Brewers will no doubt pick up. If the two sides don’t agree to extension before the offseason, there are two likely outcomes given Milwaukee’s spending habits: they will either trade Peralta at the deadline or they will keep him and he will sign elsewhere in free agency.
It’s possible that he returns to Milwaukee, but he projects to be one of the most coveted free agents available in 2026 and would likely exceed the Brewers’ price range. If his time with the Brew Crew is indeed nearing its end, fans can only thank him for all he has done in his eight seasons here.
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