Astros fans would be thrilled if Bleacher Report’s offseason trade prediction becomes reality

With a desperate need for a running mate to go alongside Hunter Brown, a limited budget, and a shallow farm system, the Houston Astros find themselves in a tough spot. However, should this Bleacher Report trade prediction come to fruition, it would be a dream come true for the Astros and their fans.

The bold proclamation has Houston acquiring Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, giving the rotation a significant upgrade and an appropriate Robin to Brown's Batman. The 29-year-old right-hander has been a solid top-of-the-rotation starter for a long time now, but his 2.70 ERA in 2025 was a career best.

The fit is picture-perfect, but such a deal would come with other advantages that could propel the Astros to another stratosphere.

A Freddy Peralta trade would be the first step in a dream Astros' offseason

In order for this trade to happen, the Brewers would have to pick up their $8 million club option on Peralta. That price would make him a steal and leave so much room in the budget for Houston to pursue upgrades on other fronts.

In exchange, you might believe that Peralta would cost a lot, but even with the affordable contract history has shown that aces in their walk years don't go for much on the trade market.

Houston may very well be able to acquire Peralta without decimating the thin farm system that they've been working so hard to rebuild.

The Brewers have elevated themselves to the ranks of perennial contenders by swapping veterans in their final stages of control for major league-ready youngsters or prospects who are banging down the door. As such, Bleacher Report speculates that what could go back to Milwaukee would be a package headlined by either Spencer Arrighetti or top pitching prospect Miguel Ullola.

Once the Astros' No. 3 overall prospect, Arrighetti is coming off an injury-plagued campaign. The 25-year-old has now hurled 180.1 innings across 2024 and 2025, pitching to a 4.69 ERA in the process. He still has talent, but Houston can't wait around for him to figure it out. The appeal for Milwaukee is that he doesn't hit arbitration until 2027.

23-year-old Miguel Ullola was rumored to be bandied about in deadline trade talks, and for good reason. He has an electric right arm with a high-octane fastball, but his shaky control might limit him to a role as a reliever in the bigs. He made one start for Triple-A Sugar Land at season's end, but it was his performance at Double-A Sugar Land, a 4.24 ERA and 5.16 BB/9, that should have you feeling good about moving on despite the awesome strikeout numbers.

With Peralta in the fold for cheap, the Astros can then turn their attention to other needs. Another starter, preferably a southpaw, would be a nice boost to the rotation, and a left-handed bat to bolster the lineup is critical as well.

If Houston is truly able to pull this off without surrendering the likes of Brice Matthews, Jacob Melton, or Zach Cole, they'd already be in the conversation of the offseason's biggest winners without even pulling off another move.