Jason Wang

In their final big move before the trade window closed, the Brewers picked up left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Milwaukee bullpen has been solid all year but can another lefty add some spice and make them even better? Image courtesy of Marquee Sports Network What He Adds To The Team Andrew Chafin has spent the majority of his major league career with the Arizona Diamondbacks but had stints with the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Detroit Tigers. He’s been a consistent reliever over his ten-year career, posting a 3.31 ERA and 1.244 WHIP over 435.0 innings pitched. He has regressed a little this year, posting a 4.19 ERA over 34.1 innings pitched but he performed well in his 2022 season with the Tigers, maintaining a 2.83 ERA over 57.1 innings pitched. Part of that regression has been caused by his walk-rate of 12.0%, currently in the 10th percentile of the league. Other than that, his pitching peripherals are actually quite good. He’s above the 94th percentile in K% (32.7%), whiff% (34.8%), and chase rate (34.8%). Primarily a sinker-slider pitcher, he also uses the four-seam fastball 17.2% of the time but with below league-average velocity, he’s come to depend on his slider more, boasting a 56.8% whiff rate and a 28.8% PutAway%. Hoby Milner has been the only consistent leftie in the Brewers bullpen this season and while he’s done an excellent job, holding a 2.30 ERA over 43.0 innings pitched, Chafin will hopefully be another lefty arm to back him up. Chafin is signed through 2023 with a team option in 2024, so depending on how the Milwaukee front office feels about his contributions to the team, he may be a short-term rental or longer-term bullpen staple. It seems that much will depend on whether the Brewers are able to see him return to his peak form between 2020-2022 where he had an impressive 2.59 ERA over 135.2 innings pitched. What The Brewers Gave Up To acquire Andrew Chafin, the Brewers sent Peter Strzelecki to Arizona. Strzelecki, who hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since June 27th, has a similar profile to Chafin despite being a righty. Posting a 4.54 ERA and a 1.178 WHIP over 35.2 innings, his three pitch arsenal is the same as Chafin’s despite using the four-seam fastball as his primary weapon while keeping the sinker as a nifty backup. Because of a seeming lack of appropriately priced bats and an already overcrowded starting rotation, Milwaukee chose to do what they could with what was in front of them. Chafin probably won’t get his number retired in American Family Field but for a relatively cheap reliever, he might be able to get a few key outs for the team leading up to this year’s postseason. View full article

In the team’s second big move before this year’s trade deadline, the Brewers acquired outfielder Mark Canha from the New York Mets. He may not be the silver bullet to solve all of the team’s problems, but how do his qualities give Milwaukee a better shot at a deep playoff push? Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Canha’s Cool Characteristics Like recent team addition Carlos Santana, Mark Canha is a big-league veteran who made his debut all the way back in 2015. After seven productive years with the Oakland Athletics, he went to the Mets and continued his consistent offensive production. His 2023 slash line of .245/.343/.381 is remarkably similar to his career averages of .248/.348/.422. His peak year of 2019 saw him post a .913 OPS and a 146 OPS+, but in the four years after, he’s come back down to a .757 OPS, 115 OPS+. Mark Canha has a couple of great aspects to his game. He doesn’t strike out much (17.2%, 80th percentile), doesn’t whiff (20.0%, 78th percentile), doesn’t chase (23.2%, 80th percentile), and gets walks (10.6%, 77th percentile). He’s also a versatile fielder, serving as both a corner outfielder and a corner infielder for the Mets this season. Like Carlos Santana, he performs just as well against RHP as he does against LHP, posting a .713 OPS against righties and a .743 against lefties. The latter is a marked improvement over Milwaukee’s team OPS against LHP of .681, 28th in MLB. Unfortunately, he’s not perfect, and for many Brewers fans, he’s likely not the bat they were hoping for. He’s seen a clear dip in power over the past few years, as his ISO of just .136 for both 2022 and 2023 is the lowest it’s ever been in his career. Furthermore, his defense isn’t exactly gold-glove quality, posting -2 OAA this year, with -3 OAA at left field. He’s also 34 and will be a free agent in 2024, meaning that this is a short-term rental in every sense of the word. Even if he decides to resign with the team, his age likely prevents him from adding any long-term value, especially with how rich the Brewers are with outfield talent. With Sal Frelick raking like a landscaper in the autumn months and the Jackson Chourio/Tyler Black combo shucking the competition in AA, I doubt Canha will be remembered as a Brewer for very long. Who We Sent To New York In exchange for Canha, the Brewers bid adieu to Justin Jarvis, a right-handed starter who had split time between AA and AAA this season. He posted a 3.33 ERA over 75.2 innings in AA but struggled in his albeit short time at AAA, posting a 10.80 ERA over 11.2 innings. Since the strategy of purchasing future hall-of-fame pitchers at the end of their storied careers hasn’t quite worked out for the Mets, it seems they are trying the opposite approach, investing in their farm system and hoping to develop talent internally. With Max Scherzer and (allegedly) Justin Verlander headed to the Texas Rangers, the Mets will need more pitching talent to put them back in the playoff picture for future seasons. Losing Jarvis isn’t a huge deal for the Brewers, as he was the #30 prospect, with names like Jacob Misiorowski and Robert Gasser likely having more future value than him. All things considered, it seems that the Brewers got a decent bat for a relatively cheap prospect. View full article

Eloy Jimenez would've been cool but does he have a food instagram? I don't think so. Canha 1, Jimenez 0. https://www.instagram.com/bigleaguefoodie/

Not sure about this trade AT ALL. I mean, with Joey Wiemer's already elite flow and Corbin Burnes hopefully returning to his Cy Young hairdo, how can we be sure that the Brewers won't suffer from swag overload?

With the trade deadline just over 80 hours away, the Brewers still have work to do. Adding Carlos Santana was nice, but it can't be their only move. Let's round up the rumors swirling around the Crew and their chief targets. The Search For Middle Infielders In a recent interview with MLB.com Brewers beat reporter Adam McCalvy, general manager Matt Arnold emphasized the team’s focus on wanting to continue building around their strengths, saying: The main rumor, reported by Jon Morosi, is that the Brewers are among four teams primarily targeting middle infielders, along with the Blue Jays, Mariners, and Giants. None of the three names mentioned are particularly enticing options, as Tim Anderson is having a ghastly season, posting a .564 OPS for a 57 OPS+ and a -1.3 WAR, Vidal Brujan has a career OPS of .450 over 246 plate appearances, and Paul DeJong is (at the very best) not quite as good as Willy Adames. The case for Anderson could be framed as him having an unusual down year, while still having the potential to be great at the plate as an ex-batting title winner. His trade value might also be exceptionally low, given his performance thus far and his $14-million club option for 2024, making him little more than a rental. Nonetheless, it seems that he would be more of a liability to the team than anything, even if he’s placed at second base instead of shortstop. The upside is in that potential defensive move, for Anderson and for DeJong, and also in the fact that Anderson is hitting .327 with a .397 OBP since the All-Star break. Caratini Could Be Sent Elsewhere Victor Caratini has been good this season, slashing .248/.338/.372 over 148 plate appearances, but he’s seen limited use given the consistency of William Contreras both at and behind the plate. There are a few teams on the edge of playoff contention who could absolutely use help at the catcher position. One such team is the New York Yankees, who recently lost Jose Trevino for the remainder of the season due to a torn ligament in his wrist. However, the Yankees might have a worse offense than the Brewers, and thus have little to offer. The Diamondbacks might need help at the position after Gabriel Moreno was placed on the 10-day IL. His two possible replacements, Carson Kelly (.416 OPS, 15 OPS+, 69 PA) and Jose Herrera (.619 OPS, 73 OPS+, 73 PA) leave much to be desired. In a close race for the wild card and NL West division, every little bit counts. Furthermore, Arizona has excellent depth at second base, a middle infield position that could help the Brewers immensely. If Caratini were to get dealt for a meaningful bat, however, the Brewers would likely have to send along some prospects as well. It’s Not Turner Time Just Yet There were some rumors that the Brewers were exploring a trade to acquire Justin Turner from the Boston Red Sox, but it’s now being reported that the Red Sox are planning on keeping him around for just a little longer. One of the better hitters on the team, it’s no surprise that Boston wants to wait, as they are currently just two games out of the AL Wild Card race. He’s posted a .841 OPS for an OPS+ of 123 over 423 plate appearance thus far. Justin Turner was one of the best potential trade options on the market, but now that he’s been flagged as a no-go, the Brewers might have to look for the next big thing. View full article

i heard that acuna based his game off of rowdy's

@Jake McKibbin would you argue that given these circumstances, where the Brewers are at in regards to the division, the postseason picture, and the overall state of baseball, that it's Tellez Time?

Santana is a veteran bat with some big hits on his resume, but will his arrival be enough to move the needle? Can he resolve the issues the team has been having at first base? How will he fit into the depth chart? Image courtesy of © Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports How Will This Trade Help Down The Stretch? Carlos Santana has primarily played first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season, slashing a satisfactory .235/.321/.412 for a .732 OPS and an OPS+ of 98. He also led the team with RBI at 53. While he’s a long way from his standout 2019 season which saw him post a .911 OPS and an OPS+ of 136 with the Cleveland Guardians, he’s got some key characteristics that could benefit the team through the remainder of the season. While he’s not quite the lefty-crusher some fans may have been hoping for, he performs just as well against them as he does righties, posting a .735 OPS against righties and a .723 OPS against southpaws, a marked improvement over Rowdy Tellez’s dismal .505 OPS in that second split. Santana has also had elite plate discipline throughout his career, averaging a 15.0% walk rate over his decade and a half in the majors. While it has dipped slightly to 11.5% this year, it’s still an improvement over Tellez’s 9.4% rate and we might even see a return to normalcy in the second half. Furthermore, Santana has been great defensively this year. While this isn’t usually what people look for in first basemen, Santana’s six defensive runs saved and two OAA (78th percentile) are worth calling out. In comparison, Tellez has -1 DRS and -3 OAA. That being said, at 37 years old, he's no spring chicken. He’ll become a free agent at season's end, so depending on how he performs and fits in with the team, he may serve purely as a short-term rental to solidify a playoff push. However, his age also comes with benefits of its own, as (in addition to being a slight offensive and defensive improvement over Tellez), he's known to be a great locker room presence and senior leader. What Was Given Up? In exchange for Santana’s services, the Brewers sent 18-year old shortstop prospect Jhonny Severino to the Pirates. Signed in 2022 for $1.2 million out of the Dominican Republic, Severino has posted impressive numbers in rookie ball thus far, slashing .250/.289/.583 for an OPS of .872 over 52 plate appearances. While it’s always hard to judge who came out on top in any trade, this transaction is a meeting of alternate goals. The Brewers are holding onto the NL Central lead by just 1.5 games over the Cincinnati Reds, and it has been close for the past few weeks. In order to secure their spot in the playoffs, they needed to add extra bats, especially at first base. Tellez is on the 10-day IL and has been floundering all season; Darin Ruf is still on the 60-day IL; and that left the Brewers with Owen Miller, an unorthodox first baseman without a ton of power. This move is (hopefully) the first of a few to widen the gap between Milwaukee and the remainder of the division. Given Santana's OBP-over-power profile at this stage, the more complementary moves the team makes beyond this one, the wiser it will look. On the other hand, Pittsburgh is likely going to miss the playoffs for the eighth time in a row, and were looking to bolster their farm system. After taking pitching phenom Paul Skenes in this year’s draft, Severino is another young piece of the puzzle. In a sort of win-win situation, the Brewers get more major-league offense while giving up a relatively unproven prospect, and the Pirates get a speculative lottery ticket to potentially bring their team back to October. View full article

Payamps is an incredibly valuable asset for any team and his contract is a big reason for that, but the Brewers bullpen doesn't really need him. I saw this is as a sort of "sell-high" situation where perhaps we would be able get something monstrous for him. Perhaps the title was misleading, but I saw it as three of the players that would have the highest price on the trade market based on the team's needs as well as numbers from Baseball Trade Values.

Most of the conversation surrounding the trade deadline has involved what pieces the Brewers can acquire. There has been some conversation about the tradability of some minor-league pieces, but what about the major leaguers? Here are three pieces that might fetch a great price. Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic 1. Joel Payamps (RP) Joel Payamps has been exceptional in his first year with the Brewers. Holding a 1.71 ERA in 47 1/3 innings pitched, he has been an integral part of the standout bullpen. He boasts exceptional command (4.4% BB%, 96th percentile) and a respectable 29.5% strikeout rate (88th percentile) One interesting thing about Payamps is that he has four pitches in his arsenal, an unusually diverse toolbox for a short reliever. While his primary weapon is his slider (42.3%), his sinker (23.9%), four-seam fastball (21.9%) and changeup (11.8%) are used a decent amount of the time. In terms of run value, the four-seamer (6) is almost as effective as his slider (7) and is used as his primary putaway pitch, sealing the deal 30.8%. Luckily, he is one of many star relievers the Brewers have right now, meaning it shouldn’t hurt too much to let him walk. He also won’t be a free agent until 2027, and his salary is quite low (1 year, $731k, just clear of the league minimum). A potentially interested team might be the Texas Rangers who have a wealth of position players to trade but one of the worst bullpens in the sport, posting a reliever ERA of 4.77, 27th in MLB. 2. Brandon Woodruff (SP) Although he has been sidelined by injury for most of this season, Woodruff’s seven-year tenure with Milwaukee has seen him post a 3.14 ERA over 625 innings. However, the Brewers are blessed with exceptional starting pitchers and have even more pieces, like Eric Lauer and Aaron Ashby, kicking around the system. Furthermore, with highly-touted pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski recently being called up to Double A, the rotation is starting to get crowded. The team has essentially been operating without Woodruff already, as he’s pitched just 11 1/3 innings this season, and they’ve performed well, posting a starter ERA of 4.03, ninth-best in MLB. There are a number of teams who would be lucky to have him, and his trade value is quite high, with Baseball Trade Values giving him a median estimated trade value of 24, higher than great players like the aforementioned Misiorowski and Joey Wiemer. Two teams who could really use the help in their rotations are the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both teams are similar, struggling with starter ERA (5.34 for Cincinnati, 4.73 for Arizona) while posting impressive offensive numbers (.745 team OPS for Cincinnati, .756 team OPS for Arizona). 3. Garrett Mitchell (OF) Garrett Mitchell hasn’t quite had the chance to have a real rookie season with the Brewers yet, getting just 130 plate appearances over the past two seasons with the team. There hasn’t been enough time to really gauge how he’ll perform at the major-league level and what his contributions will be in the future, but one thing that’s certain is that the Brewers have a surplus of outfielders. With Sal Frelick getting called up and making an electric debut and Jackson Chourio expected to get his major-league callup in 2024, the Brewers have more than enough young talent to go around the outfield. While the Brewers haven’t hit very well at all this season, Mitchell himself was never much of a needle mover, slashing .259/.306/.466 for a .772 OPS and 108 OPS+, so there isn’t much evidence that his presence would have significantly improved the offense. Nonetheless, Mitchell is still a valuable player and could contribute to any number of teams. The Minnesota Twins are one of the teams that could have some interest in adding Mitchell to the lineup for the long term, especially since their depth chart for center field lists Michael A. Taylor (83 OPS+), Nick Gordon (60-day IL), Willi Castro (89 OPS+), and Joey Gallo (103 OPS+, 31st percentile OAA). It's clear that position is not the team's best. Of course, it'll be tough to get full value for Mitchell, because (whereas Woodruff is, at least, on a rehab assignment and closing in on a return to the roster) he's out for the season, and won't help any contender until 2024. Still, he'd be an attractive piece for clubs with room in their projected outfield over the long term. View full article

Had the privilege of seeing Misiorowski pitch at the Futures Game and he has some of the most filthy, slimy, grimy, mucky, polluted, obscene, indecent, lewd, soiled stuff I've seen. Good to call out that he's off limits especially since he's the best pitching prospect we have.

So curious how they come up with these values. Is it magic? A Ouija board? Does it depend on the player's horoscope sign? Who knows?

MLB Trade Rumors have been dominated by some of the sport’s biggest names, like Shohei Ohtani, Nolan Arenado, and Pete Alonso. However, given the Brewers' limited payroll, they will likely divert their attention away from the brightest stars and toward slightly more obscure value. Here are three players that could add some value to the team, without costing an arm and a leg. Image courtesy of © Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports 1) Lane Thomas (WSN, OF) Spending pretty much all of his time in right field thus far this season, he’s the best bat on the Nationals, slashing .292/.339/.490 for an OPS of .829 and an OPS+ of 130. His best feature (other than his smile)? He crushes lefties. Over 131 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season, he’s slashed an incredible .364/.412/.653 for an OPS of 1.065. Meanwhile, the current Brewers lineup is posting a team OPS of .680 against LHP, second worst in MLB. Thomas has a few concerning characteristics, however. While his OPS is better than league average, batted-ball data would suggest he’s gotten lucky along the way, posting a 32nd-percentile xwOBA. He also strikes out quite a bit (25th-percentile K%) and doesn’t walk much (15th-percentile BB%). His defense also leaves something to be desired, as he's posted -2 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -3 Outs Above Average (OAA). The Brewers' depth chart at right field lists Tyrone Taylor, Brian Anderson (10-day IL), Joey Wiemer, Owen Miller, Blake Perkins, and Raimel Tapia. While Thomas’s glove isn’t quite up to scratch, his offensive contributions would likely eclipse any of the names currently in right field, and the exceptional defense by the other Brewers outfielders might be able to compensate. Lane Thomas is currently signed through 2023 on a one-year, $2.2-million deal and will be a free agent in 2026. 2) Connor Joe (PIT, OF/1B) In addition to splitting time in the outfield corners, Joe has also spent 136 innings playing first base this season. He’s performed decently at the plate, slashing .242/.331/.423 for an OPS of .754 and an OPS+ of 105. Similar to Thomas, he also performs exceptionally well against southpaws, posting a .912 OPS over 111 plate appearances. His OPS against righties is a little lackluster at .654, but he could have value as a platoon guy. Also similar to Thomas, he strikes out a considerable amount (16th-percentile K%), but he has some pop, decent plate discipline (68th-percentile BB%), and an excellent chase rate (97th percentile). He may not be as much of an impact bat as your ideal first baseman, but with the current depth chart listing Rowdy Tellez (10-day IL), Darin Ruf (60-day IL), and Owen Miller (91 OPS+), can the Brewers really afford to be picky? Joe is currently on a one-year, $735,000 deal and will be a free agent in 2028. 3) Justin Turner (BOS, DH/1B) Turner is having another strong year in a career marked by rigid consistency and may be a great acquisition piece, especially since he’s primarily served as a DH for the Red Sox this year while also playing 213 innings at first base. His slash line of .289/.358/.478 is good for an OPS+ of 122, which would constitute a big upgrade over the Brewers’ existing options at DH. The current depth chart lists Jesse Winker (59 OPS+), Darin Ruf, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras. To continue the theme, Turner performs extremely well against left-handed pitching, posting a .972 OPS over 117 plate appearances thus far this season. He has also steadily improved his offense over the course of the season, starting with a .723 OPS in April, .792 OPS in May, .865 OPS in June, and 1.074 OPS so far in July. His stock is quite literally rising. However, unlike the theme, he does not strike out often and has an 84th percentile K%. He doesn’t chase (77th percentile), whiff (87th percentile), and has been known to take the occasional stroll to first base (52nd-percentile BB%). His defense isn’t anything to write home about, but as a designated hitter, that’s the definition of a nonissue. That being said, Turner might be a little too rich for the Brewers’ tastes, as he's currently on a one-year, $15-million contract. He’ll also be a free agent in 2024, so he might not stick around for very long, assuming he does make the trip out to the Badger State. View full article

wade miley after not getting a shoutout from jake yet

Very true - average and OBP are still quite low, he's being saved by his near .500 SLG.

100%. It's a tight market and most bats that are worth pursuing are either critical pieces of their respective teams or on legitimate contenders that are likely hoping to preserve their core.

I should have called this out but after a pitiful May and June, July is looking like a rebound month for Rooker, posting a .783 OPS in July vs a .616 and .620 OPS in May and June respectively.

It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers are severely lacking quality people for two of the most important hitting positions. With Rowdy Tellez’s IL stint recently extended and his already-lackluster season in mind, it’s time to start looking for other options. And no, a Keston Hiura promotion is not the ideal solution here. Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic 1. Brendan Donovan (STL, 1B) In an ideal world, the Brewers would strike a deal for reigning NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt, but given his somewhat large contract and Cardinals executive John Mozeliak recently stating that the team has no plans to trade him or Nolan Arenado, we’ll have to settle for the next best thing. Brendan Donovan has primarily played second base for the Cardinals this year, but has also served as the backup first baseman and appeared in 11 games as the designated hitter. He’s been a strong offensive bat, slashing .284/.370/.432 for an OPS of .802 and an OPS+ of 120. His contract situation is also not too bad, with him being signed through the remainder of 2023 and not being eligible for free agency until 2028. While not the rosiest of situations, this season is not yet over for the Cardinals, but if they do want to make it to the postseason, they absolutely need to fix their abysmal pitching situation. With a strong pitching staff to exchange, a deal with Milwaukee could be made. Furthermore, the Cardinals are vying for a wild card spot, as winning the division is pretty much out of the question, so trading with the favorite Brewers doesn’t hurt their odds too much. There are rumors of Donovan being sent to Boston, so if Milwaukee wants a valuable hitting piece like Donovan, they’ll have to move quickly. 2. Brent Rooker (OAK, DH) While he’s cooled down significantly from his hot start this season, Rooker is still a meaningful offensive contributor to the Athletics. Primarily serving as a designated hitter, he's slashing .239/.332/.467 for an OPS of .800 and an OPS+ of 127. He’s also spent significant time in the outfield so he has value outside of just being a bat if the Brewers choose to utilize him in that way. His contract situation is remarkably similar to Brendan Donovan’s, being signed through 2023 and being eligible to test free agency in 2028. Oakland also needs improved pitching, and has been active in the market, recently trading Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for lefty prospect Easton Lucas. With one of the worst rotations and bullpens in the entire league, Oakland might be open to sacrificing a power bat for a couple of strong arms. Then again, who knows what Oakland’s front office even wants these days (other than to leave Oakland). 3. Andrew Vaughn (CHW, 1B) Andrew Vaughn is like a slightly less impressive Donovan. On the bright side, he’s a full-time first baseman, but his offense is a little less impressive, slashing .244/..316/.422 for a .738 OPS and 102 OPS+. That being said, he still has much to offer. The White Sox are pretty much doomed this season, projected as having a 1.4% chance to make the playoffs. After a disappointing past few years, the front office is probably more likely to make some moves to revitalize the franchise. Similar to the Cardinals, they also need pitching to bolster a decent lineup. The real target should be Eloy Jimenez, but he’s more of a key piece to the franchise than Vaughn and has a much more expensive contract, so Vaughn seems more in line with precedent Brewers front office decisions. He is signed through 2023 and isn’t eligible for free agency until 2027. View full article