Jake McKibbin

It is, but I feel it's clickbaity. He's mentioning those names for clicks, and throwing stuff at the wall I actually think he gets some inside info, but not the full package and then left guessing on bits

We can also add MoccBomb, who is not a bona fide source, with this tweet suggesting all bar one name the Brewers may use in such talks

A full thread of these could be gold in a few years to look back on

I figured, for a little entertainment, a thread of some of the most ridiculous trade proposals might be a bit of fun. To start off with, here are two of my absolute favourites Apologies Molly and Jim, you may need to fire whomever whispered this in your ear Perhaps even more outlandish, and the audio is worse than the trade board in the comments, but: The man has "GM" in his twitter handle and, well, thank goodness he's not one Have you seen any truly ridiculous trade threads?

Huh, baseball reference has done me dirty on that front. Delightful! The minors do naturally restrict innings, no one's going to throw 160+ in the shortened lower level seasons, but I think he's had an injury issue in most seasons? I remember seeing a chart somewhere on this about how VAA based fastballs were becoming less effective as more and more pitchers coming through has that lower arm angle. I think the average VAA on four seamers has decreased season on season too, so it's not just Peralta but you're absolutely right that the extension is a huge part of it as well

Kate to the party, but just checked out the video and that changeup looks so similar to his fastball out of the hand. If I didn't see the speed gun, I would have no clue at all on the pitch being different, it looks really impressive, though he was overthrowing in that bullpen on the FB, I'd expect slightly lower velo's in game. Still, something to work with if he signs

It seems teams have been asking about the Brewers young controllable arms in trade discussions. I don't know if this adds validity, as we don't know the brewers response to those requests but I think there's been some valid points here. A couple of things: - Henderson has a strong fastball shape wise, but needs to have his command on point. This could be said for a lot of pitchers, but I don't think he could survive well if the velocity dropped at any point (injury, etc) - It's a great combination of outlier vertical approach angle and induced vertical break for his arm angle. That being said, pitchers do adapt, especially to fastball trends. VAA fastballs, like Freddy Peralta's, have been hit harder year on year as hitter's get more and more used to seeing them around the league. That adaptation is one of the key differences between 2021/22 Peralta and 2026 Peralta (note Peralta surged after spider tack was banned in 2021) - There's zero wiggle room if either the changeup or fastball aren't coming out of the hand quite right on a given day. It's why we so rarely see two-pitch pitchers dominate for long. Even take Spencer Strider, who's struggled despite regaining his former fastball velocity. He throws a lot harder than Henderson too. Just some food for thought that, to use the stock market advice, past performance is no indication of future returns. All of that being said, this is toeing the line value wise. If Henderson headlined a deal, it should be the majority of the value in that deal, with no other high end pieces included. Or perhaps even expand the deal to include a controllable reliever as well. Joe Ryan is entering his most expensive few years, and typically the Brewers would be trading an arm like that in the 2026/27 offseason, not acquiring one a few months before. He also has less developmental improvement than there perhaps is with a Reid Detmers who's just beginning to tap into his upside. I think Robert Murray said on the Microbrew podcast this week that sources believe he could be a top 5-10 pitcher in baseball with the Brewers. That's more than I thought, but it is an intriguing possibility. That upside is what you'd eb trading for, but it is a gamble vs what you have in Henderson Finally, Henderson's largest innings total in a season is 81 1/3, and he's consistently been healthy to pitch around that 80 inning mark. Will he wear down and tire as he passes that mark? As mentioned, he can't afford to lose the command or life on the fastball without running into problems, and with a history of elbow inflammation, that doesn't perhaps reassure me. Just food for thought in the whole debate!

No idea why I'm still up, but really enjoying the discourse here, some great points! I think that's fair, I just at times question some of the results when teams have seen Henderson more. Ryan's definitely been hurt by his last start in those metrics as well, but that doesn't mean the start should be excluded. I think the more I've researched this after writing the piece, the more Reid Detmers intrigues me. It's a poor pitching development organisation, I adore the arsenal mix, the fastball has more IVB which can help it play better than Ryan's if he does miss down in the zone, and those breaking balls are LEGIT. I can see how, from that release point/spin efficiency there's a really nice option for a bridge cutter that can take pressure off his fastball too, a cut-ride kind of offering plus he's under control for two and a half years rather than one and a half. I do think it's an interesting discussion on future performance and longevity

Image courtesy of © Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Brewers have emerged as one of baseball's most aggressive contenders, but adding another impact starter could be the move that cements their World Series aspirations. Two intriguing trade possibilities stand out: Joe Ryan and Reid Detmers. Landing either pitcher would likely require Milwaukee to part with one of its top young arms, Logan Henderson, creating a difficult decision that could reshape the club's rotation now and for years to come. When healthy, Henderson has been undeniably effective on the mound. He's managed a 2.97 FIP alongside a 3.05 ERA in his 38 innings so far this season. The innings are the downside, because while Henderson has flashed that top-of-the-rotation upside, he hasn't been on the field long enough to really tap into that over a longer stretch. The upside with Henderson is the bulldog mentality, plus a unique changeup and a deceptive fastball. As two-pitch combinations go, that one has been electric so far. While the fastball averages just 93 MPH, the approach angle and induced vertical break from his low release point combine to make it feel as though the pitch is rising when it enters the hitting zone. That's a very difficult feeling to get on top of, and he's been very successful when keeping it at the top of the zone. To back that up, Henderson's high-spin changeup has been a weak-contact, high-swing-and-miss offering that's terrorized hitters. It isn't getting hit hard, and it's a real out pitch with two strikes. Beyond the fastball and changeup, the rest of Henderson's arsenal remains a work in progress. The shape on his cutter isn't great, especially for his lower arm angle, but it does provide a bridge between his four-seam and changeup. The occasional slurve rates out well from a stuff perspective, but it doesn't blend all that well with his primary pitches and he's struggled to command it at all, giving up some loud contact over the heart of the plate. With more innings, Henderson could very well improve his feel for the cutter and slurve, but there might be some concerns about getting to those innings. Pat Murphy mentioned that Henderson does see his stuff diminish from 70-80 pitches onward in an outing, and that's not helped by his reliance on his two primary offerings. Compounding that is that, when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. Henderson owns the record of the hardest-hit baseball in history coming against him, and we've seen several times this season some fly balls reaching the upper deck and just barely being foul. When hitters line him up, the contact gets loud, and that perhaps suggests some regression is on the cards. In some ways, he offers an apt comparison with Drew Rasmussen, who's succeeding with the Tampa Bay Rays over the last two years but faced a myriad of injuries that held him back after the Brewers traded him away for Willy Adames in 2021. Rasmussen has learned to induce weak contact with the best of them, but so far, we can't say the same of Henderson. Henderson could very well be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter over the next five or six years, if he can stay healthy and further develop his arsenal. There's a big ceiling there as a player who gets swing-and-miss in the strike zone and is comfortable going after hitters. On the other hand, the Brewers can use Henderson to acquire a more reliable arm to cover multiple playoff runs. He's a valuable trade chip because of the results and the two strong pitches, plus the team control remaining. If Milwaukee decides to capitalize on that value, two starting pitchers stand out as particularly compelling targets: Joe Ryan Joe Ryan is one of the top 20 starting pitchers in baseball by fWAR since the start of 2024. Like Henderson's, his fastball can get hit hard when he misses his locations, but he's consistently shown the kind of strong command that avoids that issue. Relying on a low arm slot and a great vertical approach angle, his fastball generates a lot of swing-and-miss up in the strike zone, and he has a complete arsenal operating behind it. Ryan gave up six home runs in his last start. (That's not a typo, but it's also not usually that much of an issue for him.) Despite that, he has a 3.38 ERA and 3.41 FIP this season, and has the ability to dominate teams for 7+ innings. He has a genuine six-pitch mix headlined by the fastball/sweeper combination. His splitter and sinker keep hitters from sitting on the four-seamer too much, while the knuckle-curve adds more depth than his sweeper. He has the seventh-best strikeout-minus-walk percentage (K-BB%) since 2024, so hitters have to beat him. Usually, they don't. Under control through 2027, Joe Ryan has a chance to help the Brewers in multiple competitive seasons, and multiple playoff races. He's the type of arm that can go against anyone as the second or third starter in a playoff rotation, and his arsenal variety lets him go deeper and perhaps have more coverage if one pitch isn't coming out right on the day. He's also got the benefit of more big-game experience. Think of him as a xross between Henderson and Freddy Peralta, with more of each's strengths and fewer of their weaknesses. Reid Detmers While Ryan offers the higher floor, Detmers represents the higher-upside gamble after taking a significant step forward in 2026. Detmers has one of the biggest velocity differentials in baseball between his fastball and curveball, and has broken out in a big way this season after being relegated to a bullpen role in 2025. His breaking balls, by run value, lead all of baseball, and the movement profiles are beautiful. While the velocity has (as usual) dipped since returning to the rotation, Detmers is showcasing a lower arm slot this season, and although it doesn't grade out as well, I think I like the movement profile more from this slot on his fastball. Detmers is quite effective at finding the upper third of the strike zone, and has managed to mitigate some of the damage that may come if he loses that command into the lower quadrants of the zone, but he's also well-protected by the rest of his arsenal. If a hitter is sitting on the fastball and swinging early, they're going to be very susceptible to his curveball, which tunnels well before breaking late and violently downward. The slider and changeup tunnel even better, as you'd expect for pitches with less break. The slider dips downward more than would be typical for his arm angle, helping him get underneath bats with more regularity. If you'd like to see for yourself in the graphic below, proMix+ defines how well a pitch follows another in terms of arsenal variety, proMatch+ rates how well they tunnel off one another, and proMax+ combines the two. Detmers's entire arsenal has great separation, and that plays strongly off the back of his fastball if he can establish it. Detmers is under team control for one more year than Ryan, reaching free agency at the end of 2028. He doesn't have the same track record that Ryan does, but he's taken a real jump in 2026, and with big questions about the Angels player development system, you have to wonder if the H&H Car Wash could find a few further incremental gains. Ryan is the safer acquisition, thanks to his longer track record and proven durability. Detmers may possess the higher developmental ceiling, particularly if Milwaukee believes it can unlock another level from his arsenal. The decision ultimately comes down to whether the Brewers prioritize certainty or upside, a debate that could also be applied to Henderson's capabilities. It also comes down, of course, to whether the asking price for one turns out to be significantly higher or lower than for the other. It might well be that the strength of the second piece in a deal for either pitcher headlined by Henderson would determine the level of Milwaukee's interest in them. Trading Henderson would mean surrendering six years of affordable upside for a pitcher who's more playoff-ready today. Whether that gamble is worthwhile depends on how aggressively Milwaukee wants to chase a championship over the next two or three seasons. Henderson has shown he can compete when he's on the field. That doesn't negate some underlying concerns about his arsenal mix, which affects his ability to go deeper into games, or his health. The Brewers could use his recent performance to headline a trade for either Joe Ryan or Reid Detmers. Should they? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Nothing in this world comes free, and the MLB trade deadline is getting more expensive by the year. Since the league's expansion to six playoff teams, more teams are in contention to scrape into the playoffs than ever before, meaning more buyers and fewer sellers. Those teams typically have fewer coveted assets than their league-leading counterparts, so the frenzy surrounding those few impact players who hit the market is intense. For a Milwaukee Brewers front office that prides itself on finding value, that's been a tough sell. They're always very careful not to overpay for those acquisitions. They've been a bridesmaid more than a bride, finishing second-best to the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, respectively, in the Jack Flaherty (2024) sweepstakes and the Eugenio Suárez (2025) chase. Both were considered splashes, but the Brewers didn't quite pull the trigger. In some ways, that's worked out well. Garrett Mitchell has been surging in July, after finally garnering enough playing time to iron out his swing-and-miss problems. He was a key part of what the Tigers wanted for Flaherty, and the Brewers couldn't quite pull the trigger there. Whether Flaherty would have changed Milwaukee's postseason fortunes is impossible to know, but the Brewers are certainly glad they held onto Mitchell. Healthy at last, the former first-round pick has emerged as one of the club's most productive hitters in 2026 Suárez also struggled after the All-Star break in 2025, hitting under .200 with an OPS below .700 after being acquired. Perhaps a bullet dodged. Regardless, Milwaukee enters this deadline with one of baseball's deepest farm systems—particularly on the infield—giving the front office the flexibility to pursue upgrades without completely emptying the cupboard. The simple answer is that almost anyone could be discussed. The lone exception is Jesús Made, who should only be available in conversations involving a truly elite, controllable star—think Bobby Witt Jr.-caliber talent. Assuming that scenario never materializes, here's how Milwaukee's trade assets break down by tier. Controllable Impact players (e.g. Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton) Now, that would be a splash. The Brewers would be getting a player controllable for a year and a half who could either head up a rotation and dominate a playoff game, or someone who adds fearsome thump to the lineup. Trades like this do not come cheap, but the Brewers have the assets to make it without using Made. This is the only situation in which the Brewers would or should consider moving some of their high-upside, high-floor prospects, who are placing extremely well in prospect rankings at present. Two such names spring to mind: Luis Peña and Josh Adamczewski. Peña is the No. 2 Brewers prospect, per our Brewer Fanatic rankings; he placed 16th in Just Baseball's top 100 list. With 70-grade speed, a 60-grade hit tool, and improving defense with some thump (if a little too often on the ground), Peña combines one of the highest floors in the system with legitimate All-Star upside. He would probably be paired with Jesús Made at Double-A, but for a string of health issues early in the season, and at just 19 years old, there's a lot yet to uncover for him. Adamczewski was a 15th-round pick in 2023 and has gone from strength to strength, with an exceptionally sweet swing, great plate discipline and some real power he's just beginnng to tap into. Since his promotion to Double-A, Brewer Fanatic's No. 6 prospect is hitting .319/.404/.516 with a 17% strikeout rate and an 11.5% walk rate. He's looked very comfortable making the biggest step-up in the minor leagues, and has looked solid in left field to help his cause. Jeferson Quero is perhaps the only other name that could be thrown out here, if only for the positional need for the Brewers. William Contreras is headed into his final season of team control next year, and could even be traded before then. As such, the Brewers may want to hold onto their top catching prospect. Quero earns rave reviews for how he handles a pitching staff. He's a great receiver and blocker, and his pop times have improved this year to control the running game. Pairing positional uncertainty for the Brewers at catcher with Quero's defensive capabilities, his quality-of-contact metrics at Triple-A, and the general scarcity of high-quality catchers who can help on both sides of the runs ledger and are MLB-ready, you can make a case for Quero to be in this same tier. Headliners for an Impact Rental, or Support Characters In a Multi-Year Impact Trade (e.g. Casey Mize, Kevin Gausman) Landing an impact rental at the trade deadline typically requires a premium prospect, and acquiring a controllable player under contract beyond this season requires more than just one top prospect. Fortunately for the Brewers, they have several highly regarded prospects—particularly at positions where the organization has notable depth—who could headline a deal or serve as a premium secondary piece. Some are enjoying breakout seasons, while others continue to carry significant value because of their pedigree and long-term upside. Regardless of their current production, these are the prospects rival clubs will likely target in trade discussions. At first base (or potentially third base) are Blake Burke and Andrew Fischer, who have emerged as two of the Southern League's premier power hitters—although they generate that production in very different ways. Burke records higher exit velocities and better contact rates, although he has a proclivity to chase more than would be ideal. He's on a heater at the moment, with several 115+ mph balls in July alone, and has surpassed 20 homers at the Double-A level. Fischer has more swing-and-miss, but with a more patient approach at the plate. Absolutely crushing fastballs of all shapes and velocities, his air pull and hard-hit rates are incredible, but he does need to make contact more often. He was expected to see some regression at Double A, but that hasn't been the case yet. Despite his 34% strikeout rate, Fischer's 41.3% air-pull rate and consistent hard contact are fuelling his output with a 1.077 OPS at Double-A and 1.106 OPS across the season with almost 30 home runs. He may get found out at a higher level, but if Fischer can trim the swing-and-miss even marginally, the offensive ceiling is enormous. On the left side of the infield is Jett Williams, Brewer Fanatic's No. 10 prospect, whose slow start to the season at Triple-A didn't align with expectations and has seen him tumble down prospect rankings. Acquired in the Freddy Peralta trade, Williams is a versatile defensive option with 70-grade wheels. He limits swings and misses. He has solid strike zone discipline and more thump than you would expect from his frame. He's struggled to tap into it since joining the Brewers organization, but Williams would be a coveted piece in a bigger deal. He's also still been crushing left-handers at Triple-A as you can see below: In the outfield, Braylon Payne would have the kind of helium to headline a trade. With some hot, hot wheels and good coverage (albeit with developing routes) in center field, Payne was initially drafted in the first round as a slap hitter and elite center-field defender. He's hit 18 home runs this year, but a slightly rigid swing has led to some higher-than-ideal strikeouts, with a 29.5% rate at High-A. Payne is just 19 years old, with a lot of time to develop. He's a high-ceiling prospect with the chance to make a roster on his defense and his speed alone, if the reads continue to improve. Pitching-wise, two names stand out: Tyson Hardin and Bishop Letson. Hardin has been at Triple-A for most of the season, with three fastballs that miss barrels; a deadly sweeper; and a changeup that's come on a lot in 2026. He's someone the Brewers may have in their minds as rotation depth this year, and as a genuine rotation option for 2027 and beyond, which may make him difficult to part with unless a really high-end pitcher is coming back their way. Hardin's fastballs don't grade out brilliantly in Stuff+ models, but they're very deceptive, with an identical release point across his arsenal and a flat vertical approach angle on his four-seamer that brings good swing and miss at the top of the zone. Most importantly, he misses barrels, limits walks and has consistently gotten results at every level of the minor leagues. Letson is one of the system's favorite arms among public pitch models, with a high-IVB fastball averaging 97 mph in spring; an electric sweeper at 84 mph; and a solid changeup paired with a cutter. Letson hasn't performed as well as we may have expected this year, experiencing some command issues and home run problems with a ball that seems to be different from the 2025 baseball. However, he's been trending upward since June and there will be a host of teams interested in his upside. Players Who Need A New Home There are several players who may have had more trade value in the past, but at the present, they just look ready to be surpassed by others in the Brewers system. Tyler Black has spent parts of three seasons in Triple-A without establishing a clear defensive position or showing enough power to force his way into Milwaukee's lineup. Milwaukee's treatment shows their hand: they don't view Black as part of their long-term plans. Another organization may be more willing to give him everyday at-bats, particularly in left field or at first base. Brock Wilken was surging this time last year, with 18 home runs at the halfway point for Double-A Biloxi. Sadly, a knee injury in the celebration of their first-half championship put a Triple-A promotion on pause, and he hasn't found his stride this season. A key indicator in how a team views a prospect is how often they play, and where in the lineup they hit. Neither sign has been positive for Wilken over the last two months. The Brewers have built one of baseball's deepest farm systems, giving them the rare ability to pursue impact talent without mortgaging their future. Whether Matt Arnold ultimately cashes in that prospect capital remains to be seen, but Milwaukee has no shortage of pieces capable of anchoring significant trades. Even beyond the names discussed here, players such as Brady Ebel, Alexander Frias, Handelfry Encarnacion, Josiah Ragsdale, Marco Dinges, Josh Knoth and Bryce Meccage illustrate just how much talent remains in the pipeline. If the Brewers decide to make a splash, they'll have more than enough ammunition to do it. It's also important to recognize different teams will want to address different positional weaknesses and have different views on a variety of prospects. Finding the ideal trade partner isn't easy, especially with so many sharks swirling the chum in the water, and that competitive sphere will make it tough on the Brewers. Still, they have the chips to push in, if they're willing, to meet almost any need a team may have. Can you see any of these players being moved at the deadline? Do you have more untouchables than I do? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

I can understand most of this Harold, fair point! I would suggest perhaps looking at trades for starting pitchers last year, even ones with prior pedigree struggling in year, as Wilken and O'Rae just aren't going to cut it without another bigger prospect in there, but they could be 2/3 pieces in a deal. I'm also not sure on Peralta. The smaller strike zone at the top I initially thought had really impacted him, but the fastball has actually played quite well despite that. his pitch usage has hardly changed in % terms, in fact its nearly identical which is impressive, but the re's been a lot of hard contact on those breaking pitches which have been far too often over the heart of the plate, and the changeup has had a little less whiff. I just can't work out if he's been unlucky or taken a real step back under the new rules

It depends the type of vet. I'm really sold on the idea of someone you feel comfortable with in the playoffs, and if everyone stays healthy, two of those three guys will be in the pen at least in a playoff series. If it's a vet you feel comfortable in a win or go home playoff game, absolutely!