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Surprise pitching availability may shift Yankees' trade outlook
Surprise pitching availability may shift Yankees' trade outlook originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Yankees need a starter. The Brewers might be offering more than one.
Aaron Civale's agent, Jack Toffey, told The Athletic that Milwaukee is 'looking for trade partners,' and not just for Civale. 'That's my understanding,' Toffey said, 'maybe not just on Aaron, but maybe another pitcher.'
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It's an eyebrow-raiser for a Yankees front office that has been searching for rotation help for weeks. And while Civale is a serviceable back-end option, the more intriguing name here is Freddy Peralta.
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta pitches during the Game 1 of the wild-card playoff game against the New York Mets on Tuesday October 1, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis.© Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Peralta has been connected to the Yankees before and fits the mold: durable, under control, and performing. He's 5–4 with a 2.69 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 77 innings this season. He's holding opponents to a .212 average, with a WHIP just above 1.10. It's not flashy, but it's effective—and it's the kind of production the Yankees could use in the middle of their rotation right now.
The Brewers control Peralta through 2026 on a team-friendly deal, which complicates things. But the fact they're willing to listen, and the Yankees are short on stability, makes it worth a call.
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Civale, meanwhile, could be a fallback or depth add.
He's posted a 4.91 ERA this season across five starts after suffering a hamstring injury in his first start of the season. He doesn't miss a ton of bats, but he throws strikes and keeps teams in games. He also has a longstanding relationship with Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake, who worked with Civale, a Connecticut native, in college.
That wouldn't be a deciding factor, but it helps.
The Yankees are without Gerrit Cole for the season after Tommy John surgery. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon have held down the front of the rotation, but Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren have been inconsistent. Ryan Yarbrough, a converted reliever, has held down the fifth spot. Marcus Stroman is returning from injury, but he also was pitching to an 11.57 ERA when he was injured.
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The Yankees need an upgrade to make a playoff push.
Peralta is the better arm. Civale is the more affordable one. And if Milwaukee really is open for business, the Yankees have reason to be one of the first in line.
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Related: Yankees Make a Roster Move Ahead of Royals Series Finale
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
