2026 Trade/Waiver Targets

[Jopal78]

18 minutes ago, Playing Catch said:

Okay. Do you think there exists such a move?

For Jeremy Pena? No. The Astros are not motivated to trade him, he already makes 10 million dollars/season and is a free agent after 2027. Those are not the types of players the Brewers historically have traded for.

Pratt is going to get every chance to be the longterm SS and soon. Because of that, it seems very unlikely they’d trade minor league depth to acquire a SS to bridge the gap for 5 months or less. 

Too many teams are playing competitive baseball right now, so the chance somebody trades major league assets away in April or May is nil.
 

Even at the deadline, recent Brewers history suggests they’re most likely to improve the overall talent of their roster by acquiring better players than those who  currently occupy the bottom spots of the 26 man roster, than a big swing for the fences move. 

[CheezWizHed]

Pena also doesn't strike me as the type of trade the Brewers make either - paying for current production. 

When trading for a veteran, they typically look for someone that isn't producing - blocked, struggling - where they can unlock the person's potential - Adames and Vaughn are examples. Or you are trading for an average producing player (2 WAR) to fill a short term gap - Eduardo Escobar, Renfroe, 

Contreras would be the counter example... but that trade was so silly-stupid on both the Braves and the As, I count that more as highway robbery instead of a "typical" trade.  

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Pena also doesn't strike me as the type of trade the Brewers make either - paying for current production. 

When trading for a veteran, they typically look for someone that isn't producing - blocked, struggling - where they can unlock the person's potential - Adames and Vaughn are examples. Or you are trading for an average producing player (2 WAR) to fill a short term gap - Eduardo Escobar, Renfroe, 

Contreras would be the counter example... but that trade was so silly-stupid on both the Braves and the As, I count that more as highway robbery instead of a "typical" trade.  

Blocked, struggling... AND a lot of service time. 

Contreras wasn't even the counter with the Braves getting Murphy. He was going to be blocked by the very player the Braves were acquiring(though I get exactly what you're saying, not trying to be pedantic). 

No question that was a stupid trade on behalf of the As, but I'm certainly glad they did. Contreras is going to be like Adames for me. When he leaves, I'm not even going to be angry. I'm going to be happy he's getting paid, mildly frustrated at the system, but also resigned and hope he gets paid by someone else. 

Anyway, I can say with... a high degree of certainty, we're not trading Made, certainly not anyone who'll be a FA after next year. 

If we do make a move that's aimed at helping this team, I still hope it's a young power arm. Grant Taylor... is the guy stuck in my head, but I'm pretty sure the White Sox wouldn't trade him. But maybe someone else who is struggling. Or make it Taylor and just pay a lot(Logan Henderson+ would be worth it for me, though I suspect others would feel differently). 
 

[CheezWizHed]

12 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

Contreras wasn't even the counter with the Braves getting Murphy. He was going to be blocked by the very player the Braves were acquiring(though I get exactly what you're saying, not trying to be pedantic). 

No question that was a stupid trade on behalf of the As, but I'm certainly glad they did. Contreras is going to be like Adames for me. When he leaves, I'm not even going to be angry. I'm going to be happy he's getting paid, mildly frustrated at the system, but also resigned and hope he gets paid by someone else. 
 

I think you could say this was a stupid trade for Atlanta too.  They traded away the better catcher plus 4 other players (though it didn't look like much was there). 

Murphy had 7.7 WAR vs Contreras' 12.6 in the last three years. Murphy is three years older, and more expensive. 

For Oakland, this was a complete disaster.  Only one player of the five they received remains with the club and he is struggling in the minors (Royber Salinas). Kyle Muller, Manny Pina, Esteury Ruiz, and Freddy Tarnok all played MLB games for Oakland for a sum total of -1.1 WAR.  

Seriously, Rachel Phelps would be proud!

[Outlander]

12 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

No question that was a stupid trade on behalf of the As, but I'm certainly glad they did. Contreras is going to be like Adames for me. When he leaves, I'm not even going to be angry. I'm going to be happy he's getting paid, mildly frustrated at the system, but also resigned and hope he gets paid by someone else. 
 

I like that you bring up Adames because in my mind Adames was with the organization longer but after this season Contreras will have been here even slightly longer since Adames wasn't traded here until May. Amazing the Brewers were able to get such quality players at premium positions. Both have qualified for the Brewers Wall of Honor when they retire as well. I love to follow prospects but getting high impact players unexpectedly like Adames, Contreras and even Yelich keeps things interesting. Hopefully a guy like Harrison can be added to the list eventually plus more to come.

[BrewerFan]

19 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I think you could say this was a stupid trade for Atlanta too.  They traded away the better catcher plus 4 other players (though it didn't look like much was there). 

Murphy had 7.7 WAR vs Contreras' 12.6 in the last three years. Murphy is three years older, and more expensive. 

For Oakland, this was a complete disaster.  Only one player of the five they received remains with the club and he is struggling in the minors (Royber Salinas). Kyle Muller, Manny Pina, Esteury Ruiz, and Freddy Tarnok all played MLB games for Oakland for a sum total of -1.1 WAR.  

Seriously, Rachel Phelps would be proud!

It may be semantics, but it's really easy for me to see WHY Atlanta made the trade. At the time it looked like they were getting their franchise catcher... an elite defensive catcher who could hit .250, walk and hit ~20 HRs. 
Contreras on the other hand, he was not a good defender. I don't think the Braves thought he was playable as an everyday catcher. Good hitter though. 

The first year, the Braves looked... fine. Murphy was a stud, but he's been awful since. 

So did the Braves just fail or are the Brewers just that good at developing catchers AND pitchers?

We currently have a kid who is just raking who wasn't even the starting catcher on his College team in Dinges(I know, there are extenuating circumstances, but it'll make for a better story when he gets called up). 


Whatever you conclude... another huge win for the Brewers. 

[CheezWizHed]

4 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

It may be semantics, but it's really easy for me to see WHY Atlanta made the trade. At the time it looked like they were getting their franchise catcher... an elite defensive catcher who could hit .250, walk and hit ~20 HRs. 
Contreras on the other hand, he was not a good defender. I don't think the Braves thought he was playable as an everyday catcher. Good hitter though. 

The first year, the Braves looked... fine. Murphy was a stud, but he's been awful since. 

So did the Braves just fail or are the Brewers just that good at developing catchers AND pitchers?

We currently have a kid who is just raking who wasn't even the starting catcher on his College team in Dinges(I know, there are extenuating circumstances, but it'll make for a better story when he gets called up). 


Whatever you conclude... another huge win for the Brewers. 

It is quite possible the trade was motivation for Contreras to improve as a catcher. 

[Playing Catch]

On 4/22/2026 at 10:26 AM, Jopal78 said:

Even at the deadline, recent Brewers history suggests they’re most likely to improve the overall talent of their roster by acquiring better players than those who  currently occupy the bottom spots of the 26 man roster, than a big swing for the fences move. 

Right. But do you see any players out there that represent clear upgrades? Because I don't. Pena I thought was one of the few players that represent a clear upgrade, and who's contract is within the realm of possibility of acquiring (if Houston falls out of it).

I get that Pena doesn't represent that to you, but are there other players that do, or are you content with the Brewers standing pat.

[Jopal78]

2 hours ago, Playing Catch said:

Right. But do you see any players out there that represent clear upgrades? Because I don't. Pena I thought was one of the few players that represent a clear upgrade, and who's contract is within the realm of possibility of acquiring (if Houston falls out of it).

I get that Pena doesn't represent that to you, but are there other players that do, or are you content with the Brewers standing pat.

Well, I’d say Peña’s contract isn’t in the realm of acquiring. It would be at least 12-14 million dollars in 2027, a sum they would not pay, nor would they trade the assets for a player like that merely to flip him for salary relief months later. 
 

As for players who can help, the reality is they’re likely going going to stand pat. Maybe comb the waiver wire. If they’re a winning club in July they’ll probably do what they do every year:  add some depth pieces in the back of the rotation and/or bullpen, improve the bench players etc.

To answer your question, I don’t see them making a transformative trade. They have stockpiled well regarded minor league players for a reason and they’re not going to move away from that concept right before it starts to bare fruit. 

[endaround]

30 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

Well, I’d say Peña’s contract isn’t in the realm of acquiring. It would be at least 12-14 million dollars in 2027, a sum they would not pay, nor would they trade the assets for a player like that merely to flip him for salary relief months later. 
 

As for players who can help, the reality is they’re likely going going to stand pat. Maybe comb the waiver wire. If they’re a winning club in July they’ll probably do what they do every year:  add some depth pieces in the back of the rotation and/or bullpen, improve the bench players etc.

To answer your question, I don’t see them making a transformative trade. They have stockpiled well regarded minor league players for a reason and they’re not going to move away from that concept right before it starts to bare fruit. 

How is that "a sum the Brewers would not pay? " The Brewers pay similar amounts all the time.

[Playing Catch]

38 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

To answer your question, I don’t see them making a transformative trade.

You didn't answer my question, but whatever. Let's try these instead...

1. Do you believe the Brewers should try to acquire players that are clear upgrades, or go with the depth moves/prospects route?

2. If you think they should try to improve, are there any guys out there that you like?

[jay87shot]

What would we think about something like DL Hall and Rengifo for Edmundo Sosa, Tanner Banks, and a lotto prospect.

We get a 3B upgrade, the money is the roughly the same, and Banks is a slightly funky lefty for Murph to utilize. Hall is pitching well but we know he isn't elite and the Phillies need starters bad.

 

 

[wiguy94]

48 minutes ago, jay87shot said:

What would we think about something like DL Hall and Rengifo for Edmundo Sosa, Tanner Banks, and a lotto prospect.

We get a 3B upgrade, the money is the roughly the same, and Banks is a slightly funky lefty for Murph to utilize. Hall is pitching well but we know he isn't elite and the Phillies need starters bad.

Why would Philadelphia do that?

[jay87shot]

13 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

Why would Philadelphia do that?

They need starting pitching, obviously they would need to think Hall could start.

[jay87shot]

Is there anyone worth targeting on the Phillies? I see an old struggling team that has a lot of money committed to players whose long term deals look really iffy. Turner, Harper, Nola, Schwarber, Luzardo, and Sanchez are all sign to 2030 or later. Sanchez is the only good deal left in that group and the also have Realmuto and Wheeler on shorter deals. Most of their young guys haven't been very good and they are paying 38ish million to Castellanos and Walker not to be on the team this year.

I brought up Sosa and we have discussed Bohm a bunch (not having a good year). Would they possibly trade a reliever like Kerkering just to add some depth? Brandon Marsh?