Matt Arnold Cools Trade Rumors Around Brewers Ace

Matt Arnold Cools Trade Rumors Around Brewers Ace originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Milwaukee Brewers have surged to the top of the National League Central standings. Milwaukee is currently tied for first with the Chicago Cubs and own MLB's best record (34-12) since May 25.

Right-hander Freddy Peralta's name continues to surface in trade rumors. The speculation stems from the fact that Peralta is under team control for one more season after 2025, via an $8 million club option for 2026.

When asked directly about the trade chatter over the weekend, Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold downplayed the likelihood of moving the two-time All-Star, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“Obviously it’s important for us to never close the door, but Freddy means the world to our franchise and all of us,” Arnold said. “I would expect him to be a big part of this going down the stretch. It’s something that we can never exclusively say no on anything. But he just means so much to so many people here. I’m thrilled to have him as a part of this team.”

With the Brewers' recent success, buoyed by the emerged of rookie Jacob Misiorowski and the return of Brandon Woodruff, gives them ample rotation depth. Arnold made it clear that the front office is wary of disrupting the team's strong clubhouse dynamic ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

"I think we have a really good group, and chemistry matters," Arnold added. "You can remove a piece of this and it changes the dynamic, potentially. We're certainly sensitive to that. [Freddy's] one of the best teammates I've ever been around."

Even though the Brewers have shown a willingness to make bold, even unpopular moves, Arnold's comments suggest the team views Peralta as too central to their current success to entertain serious trade discussions at this time.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.