Question of the week: Is Civale right to ask for a trade?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm curious where people land on this and why. Personally, I don't have a problem with him doing it. But also given how pitchers go down about once every three minutes, it seems slightly rash to immediately ask for a trade.

[CheezWizHed]

I have no problem with him asking the Brewers for a trade, but I find it disrespectful to:

• Ask for one publicly
• Ask for it immediately

The Brewers helped rebuild his value after his struggles in TB.  Showing a lack of flexibility will probably hurt his FA market next year.  It isn't like he is a TOR starter.

[rickh150]

Right as in moral? Sure. It isn't a sin to asked to be moved to another team. 

Right as in player's right to do under his contract/CBA? Sure again..he is allowed to ask for a trade.

Right as in player/team code of etiquette?  Probably not good to do it publicly and in the midst of a pennant race.  Managers/Gms want no distractions and everyone pulling in the same direction. Teams like Milwaukee really value that positive team culture in the clubhouse. Asking out is not a good look no matter how good he thinks he is.  Right now, he is pitching like our 6th or 7th best starter. And Henderson is really the guy getting shortchanged now, not Civale.

[Playing Catch]

I just said it in the other thread, but I do think Civale is right to worry. I don't think he earns more money in FA if he pitches out of the pen for the Brewers.

I also agree with the sentiment that he shouldn't have come out quite so quickly with his request.

With that said, he has also created for people a narrative in the event he struggles out of the pen. If in his first relief appearance he gives up a broken-bat single, a 12-pitch walk, 3-run HR... "see! I told you I shouldn't pitch out of the pen!"

[Frisbee Slider]

58 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

I have no problem with him asking the Brewers for a trade, but I find it disrespectful to:

• Ask for one publicly
• Ask for it immediately

The Brewers helped rebuild his value after his struggles in TB.  Showing a lack of flexibility will probably hurt his FA market next year.  It isn't like he is a TOR starter.

If Civale publicly agrees that he isn’t a major league starter then he will have more difficult time selling his services as a reliable middle of the rotation or backend starter in the offseason.

[wiguy94]

I had no issue with a trade request. He's putting himself first which is fine. Just don't like that he and his agent made it public. But hey he got his way and got sent to the White Sox. I don't wish him to fail but I also just don't care at all if he succeeds.

[Turning2]

4 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I have no problem with him asking the Brewers for a trade, but I find it disrespectful to:

• Ask for one publicly
• Ask for it immediately

The Brewers helped rebuild his value after his struggles in TB.  Showing a lack of flexibility will probably hurt his FA market next year.  It isn't like he is a TOR starter.

That's about where I land as well. Just keep it in house. Pretty unorthodox to ask a guy who has never worked in middle relief to do so in the middle of a season. Most likely, Arnold was looking to move him anyway. Didn't have to become a drama thing, AND it put the Brewers in lesser negotiating position which he had to realize. That smacks of ingratitude to some degree or ignorance.  

[CheezWizHed]

On 6/13/2025 at 9:48 AM, Frisbee Slider said:

If Civale publicly agrees that he isn’t a major league starter then he will have more difficult time selling his services as a reliable middle of the rotation or backend starter in the offseason.

Pitching out of the BP isn't publicly agreeing with anything.  He could easily say to the next reporter "I think I'm still a SP quality pitcher, but this is what the team needs of me".  

It will be interesting to see if he actually improves his performance without the Brewer's defense behind him now. 

[Samurai Bucky]

6 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

It will be interesting to see if he actually improves his performance without the Brewer's defense behind him now. 

... and remember, top-notched pitching labs are a dime a dozen.

[bjkrautk]

He's going to be a FA in the off-season.  He's not wrong to presume he gets paid better as a bottom-of-the-rotation starter ("innings eater") than a long-reliever.

 

I have a tough time getting upset about a guy asking for a trade in this situation.  Likewise, I have little problem with the Brewers taking the first decent offer, and letting the White Sox flip him in a month to a playoff hopeful looking to bolster their rotation.  It's how we got Civale to begin with.

[CheezWizHed]

19 hours ago, bjkrautk said:

He's going to be a FA in the off-season.  He's not wrong to presume he gets paid better as a bottom-of-the-rotation starter ("innings eater") than a long-reliever.

Correct. It is wrong to presume that all the teams out there looking for starters will suddenly completely forget that he can start due to a few months pitching in the BP. 

However, they will know he isn't willing to be flexible despite being a #4-#5 SP that will most likely need to move to the BP as he ages. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, CheezWizHed said:

However, they will know he isn't willing to be flexible despite being a #4-#5 SP that will most likely need to move to the BP as he ages. 

I think this might be reading too much into the situation. Where it's easy to see why Civale wants to absolutely maximize the 100-ish innings he has before free agency this season, that's less likely to be the case in the offseason, particularly if he pitches well and receives a two-year deal.

[wildcat2237]

Absolute cry baby move from Civale. 

Players are getting paid to help the team win. As a bottom of the rotation guy it was a really pathetic move to ask for a trade, much less publically.  If he was a top of the rotation guy, maybe its slightly different.

If they went behind the scenes and said to Arnold, "With the deadline looming, my client wouldnt mind going to a team where he can start." But doing it publically and immediately was bad. 

I will boo Civale loudly is I see him pitch in person. 

[Brian]

No different than quitting a job or looking for a new one, except the Brewers got to pick his new employer.