Brewers Could Deal From Big-League Surpluses as Trade Deadline Nears

[Jack Stern]

This year's trade market is sparse on conventional sellers. Matt Arnold confirmed a few days before the deadline that it could prompt some unconventional swaps of players from contending rosters. The Brewers profile as a team that would make such a deal.

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

The expansion of MLB’s playoffs to 12 teams has altered the structure of baseball’s midseason trade market the past couple of seasons. Only seven teams enter Saturday more than six games back of a postseason birth, and few clubs appear to be clear-cut sellers. Most are on the bubble, residing in the gray area between buyer and seller.

The result is a trade deadline that is difficult for most clubs to navigate. Even teams like the Brewers that are firmly in the buyer category find themselves limited in the number of players they can acquire at a reasonable cost.

Teams may have to become more creative to overcome that. Instead of the traditional seller-buyer agreement to exchange MLB talent and prospects, expect more teams to swap players from their big-league rosters. With more teams eyeing playoff spots at the deadline, more of the movement may involve teams trading from the deepest position of their roster to bolster the weakest.

Matt Arnold confirmed in a media session on Friday that the Brewers have discussed such deals with other clubs.

“I think there are a lot of teams [in contention] right now,” Arnold said. “We’ve had a lot of different conversations [discussing] need-for-need, surplus-for-surplus type of deals that could help teams in contention.”

The Brewers have surpluses at multiple positions from which to draw.

Even after Christian Yelich’s injury, the 40-man roster features a deep stable of outfielders. Fansided’s Robert Murray reported Friday that Garrett Mitchell’s name has been part of trade talks. The red flags in Mitchell’s offensive profile (namely his struggles to make contact and elevate the ball) and his already-checkered injury history can be used as reasons for and against a trade. He will not draw an exceptional return, but there’s a case to be made for moving him before risking it falling further.

It’s more feasible to think the Brewers will trade one or multiple big-league relievers. Devin Williams and Joe Ross will likely return within the next few days, and DL Hall and J.B. Bukauskas may not be far behind.

All four arms are on the 60-day injured list, so the Brewers must create space for them on the 40-man roster when they return. Non-optionable arms like Hoby Milner, Joel Payamps, and Rob Zastryzny could become supplementary pieces in trades.

This is not to say that surplus-for-surplus moves will be Arnold’s main avenue for acquiring the starting pitcher or left-handed bat atop the Brewers’ shopping list. Rather, it would be unsurprising (if not expected) to see at least one big-league player moved in a deal.

As for Milwaukee’s overarching approach to the deadline, little has changed. The front office constantly searches for upgrades but acts with a balance between present and future.

“It's always a balance between today and tomorrow, right?” Arnold said. “It's how much we want to borrow from tomorrow to try to win today, and how do we do that responsibly."

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[Brian]

Brewers Reportedly Receiving Calls For Slugger Garrett Mitchell, Trade Could Be Imminent. 

[jay87shot]

With Devin, Ross, Hall, maybe Bauk, and Paredes(???) added to the need for another starter we should trade a couple relievers. 

I am OK with sending one of Perkins, Mitchell, or Frelick somewhere but would prefer a young mlb level pitcher not someone with limited control. With Weimer and Hicklen I am OK taking the injury risk.

[Jim French Stepstool]

It's been speculated that we may see more of these 'old school' type trades due to so many teams now having playoff hopes. If so, it may benefit Milwaukee due to the bullpen depth @jay87shot alluded to. I'm specifically happy to see Bukauskas back in the harness, and Hall had a decent outing last night.

There would be some risk involved in dealing Mitchell, there's a lot of ability there. But he'd probably be the guy to go due to the most upside of the three. Wiemer running hot in Nashville & Isaac Collins having a solid if unspectacular year (along with having versatility & being a switch-hitter with close to even splits) probably increases the likelihood.

I said it once before---if looking for a bat they shouldn't confine themselves to just LHH.

---

 

[LouisEly]

While there may not be a lot of sellers, I could see the Brewers making a deal with another contender from the AL in a majors-for-majors swap where the Brewers deal from their bullpen for a LH bat.

[Team Canada]

11 hours ago, Brian said:

Brewers Reportedly Receiving Calls For Slugger Garrett Mitchell, Trade Could Be Imminent. 

Can you provide some more context or commentary, source URL, etc, other than just dropping in a random headline from somewhere? 

[Brian]

11 hours ago, Team Canada said:

Can you provide some more context or commentary, source URL, etc, other than just dropping in a random headline from somewhere? 

The Brewers need to trade for a starting pitcher to aid their rotation in a postseason run. One Major League Baseball insider mentioned teams have been calling for an outfielder that could be used to acquire a much-needed arm.

 

"One name that has come up in trade talks involving the Milwaukee Brewers is outfielder Garrett Mitchell, sources say," FanSided's Robert Murray wrote Friday afternoon. "It’s unclear how willing the Brewers are to move the young left-handed hitter, especially after Christian Yelich was placed on the injured list with a back injury. But one rival executive in contact with Milwaukee viewed Mitchell as a potential trade piece to acquire a starting pitcher."

Mitchell is hitting .227 with four extra-base hits including one home run, four RBIs and a .697 OPS (95 OPS+) in 15 games this season.

The 25-year-old on his own likely wouldn't yield the Brewers a high-quality starting pitcher, and if moved at all would probably be included in a package with low-level prospects -- or in a mix of other outfielders rumored to also be in trade conversations.

Although it's unclear if Milwaukee is fielding teams interest in the left-handed bat with actual consideration of moving him, it wouldn't be a shock if he is shipped out in a trade for a starting pitcher.

[rolafaive]

Since coming off the IL, Mitchell has not batted any better than before injury, he takes too many pitches and swings at too many out of strike zone, I say if you can move him, DO IT! Maybe Boston will want hometown boy Frelick?