Just hours before he was scheduled to start against the Miami Marlins, the New York Mets have scratched Freddy Peralta.

Peralta is a healthy scratch, of course, as confirmed by the New York Post's Joel Sherman. With so much speculation as to a potential trade, this all but confirms that the 30-year-old will be finding a new home for the rest of the 2026 season.

The Milwaukee Brewers have long been linked to Peralta, and for good reason. Peralta was with Milwaukee from 2018-2025, delivering many memorable moments, including nine postseason appearances for the Brewers.

Things simply ran their course, and the Brewers moved on from him prior to the 2026 season due to the contract Peralta expected after this year came to an end. Now, he's stuck wondering who will pay him as his time with the Mets has not gone according to plan.

If there was ever a team to fix pitchers, though, look no further than the Brewers. A reunion could spark new life into both the team and Peralta, and it makes sense for Milwaukee as he shouldn't cost a ton and will be able to replace Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester.

The Mets have yet to name their new starter on Friday, July 31, but Sherman confirmed it won't be Peralta. The Dominican Republic native sits at 5-9 this season with a 4.99 ERA. For reference, that's his highest ERA since 2019, when it was 5.29.

Milwaukee managed to fix those numbers in 2020 and beyond, so who's to say they can't do it again? It's more obvious than ever that Peralta is being traded; it's just a matter of where he goes and for how much.

If the Brewers are truly in on a guy like Tarik Skubal or Mason Miller, there's seemingly no way they'd be able to bring in Peralta as well.

For Peralta to return to Milwaukee, it would require the team to make a few small moves that address numerous needs instead of swinging for the fences.

Either way seems to be a fine strategy, but is Peralta truly at the top of this team's list? Remember, Milwaukee took him deep twice as Peralta allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in his 5.1 innings of work against the Brewers on Monday, July 20.

Six days later, Peralta allowed just two earned runs on six hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That came in a four-inning sample size, but with a few starters already out for the year, Milwaukee might want a bit more stability, specifically someone who can go deeper into games.