Ryan Pollak

For the last few weeks, this site has talked about the potential impact the Brewers can make on the trade deadline this summer. Whether we have looked at specific trade partners or what players make the most sense for the Brewers, it seems the fanbase has come to one obvious conclusion: The Brewers should add starting pitching. With nine pitchers on the injured list and not many signs of them coming back to full health, it seems logical to add a starting pitcher to a rotation that has relied on a combination of Colin Rea, relief pitching, and promising prospects to support Freddy Peralta. But nobody has said a word about the potential of adding a different bat, and honestly, that’s fair. So, should the Brewers consider adding a bat to an already hot-hitting lineup? Let’s take a deep dive into why the club should trade for an upgrade in the starting nine and the players they should be looking at. Why Add a Bat? So, this team has a former MVP; arguably the best catcher in the league; a 25-year-old rookie third baseman; and a former first-round pick at second. Each of these players have a batting average above .270 and an OPS+ above 100. In fact, the club is fourth in team OPS, sixth in team batting average, eighth in team wRC+, and third in team batting average on balls in play. So, why should the club worry about adding hitting? With every good hitter in this organization, there are just as many questionable bats on the 26-man roster. Not every player on this team is willing and able to play every game, like Willy Adames or William Contreras. Players need days off, and it might be good to have better depth available when that need becomes urgent down the stretch. The club uses a rotational DH, but it can be argued that role would go to either Gary Sánchez or Jake Bauers. If that concerns you, that’s understandable. Each of them is running an OPS+ south of average, and their aggregate OBP is right around .300. Those are two of the four players with at least 40 games played this year who have struggled that way. The other two are Oliver Dunn and Jackson Chourio. Chourio is coming back around (.294/.351/.471 in June), and Dunn’s role has been diminished. Speaking of the bench, Andruw Monasterio is still on this roster. He has five hits in 42 plate appearances. While he rarely is seen in the starting lineup, he still gets occasional chances, and has struggled to deliver when they've come. The Crew can only be so patient before they consider moving on. The only other player who nominally remains on the bench (though that hasn’t really been his role) is Blake Perkins. You can find, somewhere on this site, more detail on the fact that Perkins has become more than an extra role player. When Garrett Mitchell comes back, the Crew will have to find a way to juggle these outfielders. That might mean more games with Sal Frelick at third base, or removing one of Frelick, Perkins, Mitchell, or Chourio from the lineup on any given day. However, bench depth isn’t the only concern the club has. It’s the runners in scoring position. It may not seem like it, but the Brewers have the eighth-best batting average in these types of situations. They lead the way in total bases with runners in scoring position. That said, they also have a 22.6% strikeout percentage in these situations, which is 10th out of the 12 teams that are currently in playoff spots. According to teamrankings.com, the Brewers have allowed 7.15 men left on base per game (27th out of 30th). Even worse, they have the highest runners left in scoring position per game (3.89). While it could be chalked up to aggressive swings, it could be because they rank 24th in clutch rating according to Fangraphs (-0.56). By now, the sabermetric orthodoxy is pretty well-established. Getting runners on base is good, and putting more runners on base in the first place will lead to more left on base by the end of the game. Clutch performance varies widely and unpredictably, even within seasons, and it's more of a focal point for fans than a sustainable skill for players or teams. Even so, it's in those moments--the conversion or squandering of those opportunities--that games are won and lost. The Brewers have been able to squeak by with what they have, but the strikeout percentages of Bauers (33.7%), Perkins (27%), Sánchez (26%), and Chourio (26%) seem alarming at this point in the season. When you compound all this with their RISP stats and clutch, the club might consider adding a batter. What Will It Cost? In Jake McKibbin’s story on trading for a controllable starting pitcher, he made it clear that trading for talent would require giving talent away. While that may be true, the price of these players can vary based on the value of their contract, how many years of club control remain, and what position they play. For example, look at the trade the Brewers made with the Mets last trade deadline. What the Brewers got was a then-34-year-old outfielder/DH who was hitting .243/.343/.381 with six home runs and 29 RBIs at the time of the trade. Canha was slated to make $13.25 million for the 2023 season and a club option for the following season. In the deal, the Mets agreed to pay down much of that money, leaving the Brewers responsible only for the 2024 option. What did they give up? A former 2018 fifth-round pick, in righty Justin Jarvis. As of today, Jarvis has yet to make it to the big leagues. So, what’s it going to be like this year? Before you get excited about the club adding a Justin Verlander for an Adam Seminaris, this year is going to be a little different. Just looking at the state of all MLB rosters, pitching is going to be a serious need at the deadline. We already know the Brewers are dealing with a ton of injuries in the rotation, with Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley and potentially Robert Gasser for the entire season. But the Crew aren’t the only team with these issues. The Atlanta Braves lost their ace, Spencer Strider. The Orioles lost John Means and Kyle Bradish to Tommy John surgery. Despite Shane Bieber having the same surgery, the Guardians lead the AL Central. That’s only scratching the surface for the number of injuries around the league. There will be bidding wars, and pitchers will be sold at almost ridiculous prices. As for the position players, there isn’t a ton of talk on ones who could be on the move. Nine teams are separated by 4 games in the NL Wild Card standings. Teams like the Cardinals, the Reds, the Giants, or the Mets might put the brakes on any plans to sell players if they continue to hang around the race. The American League is a little more spread out, so we can get an idea of what players could be on the move. The range of types of prospects that can go in a trade will be wide. If a team tries to trade for a big fish like Pete Alonso, expect a top-100 prospect to be involved, along with a lower-tier prospect or two. However, if someone like Joey Gallo gets traded, it might only cost a lottery ticket, like the Canha trade did. Here are the players who could be on the Brewers radar. Hear Me Out…Brewers Add a Regular DH in J.D. Martinez I know there was another batter on the New York Mets the Brewers fan base would love on their team. But if the Brewers are protective of their top prospects like Tyler Black or Jacob Misiorowski, then J.D Martinez would be the next best pick. Everyone will probability be quick to point out his 26% strikeout rate on the season. However, he was one of the Boras clients who signed late in the offseason. In fact, Martinez signed with the Mets on Mar. 23, one week out from Opening Day. He didn’t play a game until Apr. 26, but has a .290/.359/.511 slash line in 209 plate appearances. Even with a late start, he is hitting at a high level. If the Brewers want someone who is clutch in the DH spot, look no further than Martinez. He boasts a .298 career batting average and .927 OPS with runners in scoring position. According to Baseball Reference, he’s hitting .325 in high-leverage situations--exactly what the Brewers could use in tight, late-game situations. Potential Trade: Brewers Acquire J.D. Martinez for RHP Bradley Blalock Because Martinez is an aging veteran, there is a decent chance the Brewers won’t have to give up any of their top prospects. However, they will have to give up an MLB-ready talent. As other pitchers start getting healthy on the roster, the Brewers would probably see less and less of the likes of Bradley Blalock. While Blalock had Tommy John surgery back in 2022, he has bounced back in control and speed. We have already seen what Blalock can do in the big leagues, as he pitched a clean inning against the Padres in his big-league debut. But like all teams, the New York Mets might need some pitching. It’s all going to depend on how the team performs in the next few weeks. Could a Yandy Díaz Trade Spell the End for Jake Bauers? I feel like for the last few years, we’ve heard the potential for the Brewers to make a trade for a first baseman. When that is the case, we look at a player like Yandy Díaz. Let’s be honest, this was not a name I expected to talk about as an available target, after a 2023 campaign wherein Díaz won the American League batting title. Then there were rumors swirling the Rays would consider selling their more expensive contracts to drop payroll. This explains the selling of Tyler Glasnow. Not long ago, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported teams were targeting Tampa's expensive contracts once again. With the club 13 games behind the Yankees for the division and four games back in the Wild Card race, clubs could be thinking about buying these guys for more of a bargain. Díaz, who remains under club control through 2026, has been having a down year, hitting .271/.331/.384 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in 77 games. Honestly, that’s a pretty good down year. While he may be another right-handed batsman, he could make a great platoon with Bauers and a solid complement to Rhys Hoskins. While Hoskins is normally hitting better against lefties, his recent slump has dropped his batting average to .171 versus southpaws this season. Díaz is currently hitting .303/.337/.408 when facing a lefty. His reverse splits aren’t too bad, either: .261/.330/.376. I haven’t even mentioned his 14.8% career strikeout rate, his 11.8% whiff rate, or his 92.5 MPH average exit velocity. If you're not sold on this yet, how about his .304 batting average with two outs and runners in scoring position? His .403 OBP with RISP this season jumps out, as well. Diaz isn’t going to win any races, but he’ll certainly get on base when you need him to. An acquisition like this could put an end to Bauers’s tenure with the Brewers. He’s already relegated to a bench role. But what else would this cost the Brewers? Potential Trade: Brewers Acquire 1B Yandy Díaz for OF Blake Perkins, 1B/C Wes Clarke, and RHP Patricio Aquino As stated earlier, Díaz is under club control through the 2026 season. This gives a little bit of time and the ability to sell off one of their top first basemen in their system, in Wes Clarke. I know there is a lot of Brewer faithful (including myself) who see a lot in Clarke. We even saw what he can do in Spring Training, where he launched four home runs and had a 1.024 OPS in 30 plate appearances. But if the Rays give up their starting first baseman, they might need someone to hold it down other than Isaac Paredes, since top prospect Xavier Issac is still in High-A. With Mitchell close to a return, there will be quite a logjam in the outfield. Perkins has been more than serviceable for the club, but he was splitting the outfield with Chourio and Frelick. We thought Frelick could’ve been seeing time at third base, but Joey Ortiz is hitting at a high enough level to garner All-Star considerations. Once Mitchell returns, someone will be squeezed, so it might be time to sell Perkins while he is hot. If they ask for a third player, then they can throw in a pitching prospect like Patricio Aquino, who had a decent 2023 season with the Carolina Mudcats. With so much club control left, the Rays don’t have to force a trade. But if they plan on cutting salaries, then Díaz’s $8 million this season and $10 million the next might be too much for them. Justin Turner Could Be the Clutch Bat the Brewers Need Alright, here we go again with Justin Turner joining the Brewers. This is another time where this move just makes too much sense for the Crew. The Brewers need another good bat in the lineup? Do they need an upgrade at the first base or DH spot? Does the team need a clutch hitter who excels in high-leverage situations? All this fits the bill for Turner. He is 39, but the numbers are still there. With a .340 OBP and a 105 OPS+, he is continuing to find ways on base. He has a .293/.362/.366 line in high-leverage situations this season, with his best stats coming as the game gets closer. He has a .273 batting average with two outs and a runner in scoring position. He’s not going to be the same Turner who wore a Dodger Jersey stats-wise, but he would be a great role player for this young and potentially playoff-driven team. Potential Trade: Brewers Acquire Justin Turner for RHP Bishop Letson If you want a trade closest to the Mark Canha trade, then this is the one. The Blue Jays are currently 15.5 back in the division and 6.5 in the wild card. They are more than likely going to sellers. With a $13 million contract tied to Turner, teams might not want to take on the remainder of that contract. With the Jays being ranked 24th in the preseason MLB Pipeline’s Farm System Rankings, the club could sell players for any prospects. While their best trading chips are Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Chris Bassitt, and Bo Bichette, Turner could still be an option. With pitchers at a premium right now (at least at the major-league level), the Blue Jays could take in a young pitching prospect in Bishop Letson. The Brewers' 11th-round pick in 2023 is only 19, and is currently with the Mudcats in the rotation. He still is a lottery ticket for any team, but the Brewers saw great potential for a back of the rotation type guy. Other Options: Possibly the greatest option the organization could hope for is the big All-Stars, in Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman. But the NL Wild Card is very tight, and the Astros are currently riding high and creeping closer to a playoff spot. Josh Bell wouldn’t be a bad option, though his clutch stats are a little suspect. His clutch numbers this season hover close to what Bauers already has. The only difference is Bell gets more opportunities, and that he strikes out at a lower clip. That, and Bell has a .246 batting average vs Bauers's .217. Perhaps, if the Tigers are considering selling, maybe a quick reunion with Canha is possible as an option at first. If they hang up, maybe a deal can be worked for Gio Urshela. A final and potential option could be one Brent Rooker, in the A’s organization. While he does have a 140 OPS+, he also has a 36% strikeout rate and leads the American League in punchouts. If you can get over that level of wind generation, he has three more seasons of club control and a ton of suitors who would want him. The Brewers can put in an offer, but it will be an expensive one. Do you think the Brewers need another bat? Should they focus more on their pitching needs? What players would you like to see in a Brewers Jersey? Let us know in the comments.

Over the last couple of days and weeks, we have even looked at teams that may be trade partners for the Brewers. If you’d like to read any of those, scroll to the bottom of this article. In this next team, we will look at a team with a familiar face within the organization. No, we aren’t talking about the Cubs. They’ll never trade with Milwaukee. Let’s discuss the potential trade suitor of the David Stearns-led New York Mets. New York Mets: (29-37) 4th place in the NL East It wasn’t too long ago that owner Steven Cohen opened up the checkbook and brought in superstar talent. In the 2020 offseason, the New York Mets signed James McCann and traded for star shortstop Francisco Lindor, eventually signing him to a 10-year extension prior to Opening Day. In 2021, the Metropolitans signed the likes of Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Max Scherzer, building up their star power. As if that wasn’t enough, the club extended Brandon Nimmo, brought back Edwin Diaz, signed superstar Justin Verlander, and signed Adam Ottavino and Kodai Senga, spending a massive $430 million in salaries. However, this quickly became proof that not all World Series championships can be bought. The team was slowly getting sold off after falling into the middle of the NL East standings and not keeping up with their division rivals, the Braves and the Phillies. Escobar was traded to the Angels, David Robertson to Miami, Scherzer to the Rangers, reuniting him with Jacob deGrom, and Verlander back to Houston. There was also a Mark Canha trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. After finishing fourth in the NL East, the Mets looked to bounce back and get back in the race for the next season. However, as it stands so far, it’s not looking too good. Why Would They Sell? After bringing in Luis Severino, Jorge Lopez, and Joey Wendle, the club made another trade with the Brewers, bringing in Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor. The Mets brought Ottavino back and signed Harrison Bader to a deal, hoping it would be enough to get back in the race. The Mets are in a weird situation. They are currently 16.5 games back in the division; however, they are only 3.5 back from the third Wild Card spot, with seven teams ahead of them for the one spot. It could be argued that without the hitting they currently have, the Mets could be well out of the playoff race. Even so, the Mets rank in the middle of the pack when it comes to average (14th), OPS (14th), and runs scored (15th). That doesn’t bode well for a team in the bottom half of the league in pitching. Luis Severino is currently the only regular starter with a below 3.50 ERA. On the other hand, Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana need some help. Senga is trying to return from injuries, including shoulder capsule strains and triceps issues. He probably won’t be back until after the All-Star Break, if at all. Even their bullpen doesn’t feel the same. Remember Diaz? The one that came out to Tommy Trumpets? He lost his closer role earlier this season. He just got off the injured list and is expected to get it back. Lopez was doing okay until he spiked his glove to the ground and was designated for assignment shortly after. Also, shield your eyes from Ottavino’s 5.55 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. At least his FIP is at 3.52. With Pete Alonso in his final year before getting a payday in free agency, they should be trying to compete. However, it might be best to sell him now, get a haul, and try to sign him back in free agency. You know Cohen will put out checks that he could cash. Why Are They Trade Partners? GM Matt Arnold and David Stearns have negotiated a few deals before. Stearns might have buyer’s remorse on the Houser/Taylor deal, but it’s too early to tell. Who’s to say they won’t do the tango again if the price is right? There is the argument that the Brewers need pitching and that asking for a player on a team ranked 22nd in ERA is weird. But with the number of pitchers dropping like flies, they might need to make a move to finish the season. Back-end starters would be the way to go if they don’t want to sell the likes of Jacob Misiorowski, Brock Wilken, or even Sal Frelick. The stock in starting pitching everywhere keeps going up, with pitchers having season-ending injuries. While a position player isn’t a need, the designated hitter role seems wishy-washy. The Crew has used William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Gary Sanchez in that role. But that leads to Jake Bauers getting some time at first. It’s not entirely an issue, but the career .209 batting average and 93 OPS+ might be concerning. I’m not saying the Brewers should go out and grab Alonso, but there are some expiring contracts that they could be interested in. Brewers Trade Targets All the speculation now centers around Pete Alonso. Will they trade him? Will they extend him? This has been the topic of conversation since the 2023 offseason. To be honest, we don’t know how much they are willing to sell. However, if we are to believe MLB Analyst Jim Bowden of The Athletic, there’s a chance Alonso, Severino, and J.D. Martinez can all be on the go. If we want to even take it a step further, Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the Mets just might sell Manaea. But would the Brewers truly be interested in any of these potential players? Severino would be the ideal grab in a trade with the Mets. With a 3.25 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, who wouldn’t want to add an arm like that to an injury plagued rotation. At the same time though would the Brewers be willing to move higher end prospects for a one-year rental. If the Crew want a south paw in the rotation, maybe adding Manaea would be a decent option. Sure, he doesn’t have as great of stats as Severino, but at this point, the Brewers could use anyone for the rotation. A career 4.11 ERA, 4.03 FIP and 1.23 WHIP would be a decent back end rotational guy. Like current Brewers Jakob Junis and DL Hall, he has flexibility to work both the rotation and the bullpen. Unlike Severino, he has a $13.5 million player option for the 2025 season should he decide to exercise it. The extra year of control does give him a little more value, but it shouldn’t be as expensive as some of the other available arms out there. While the Brewers seem more than set on bats and positional players, Martinez could provide a nice upgrade in the DH spot. Of the Boras clients who held out a good chunk of the offseason, Martinez is one of the more affective ones. In just 40 games, he’s slashing a .265/.323/.430 line with five home runs and 19 RBI. The six time all star would be a perfect mid-season addition to the Brewers speedy lineup. Yes, I will still address the possibility of adding the Mets home run hitting slugger in Alonso. Even Bowden suggested it in one of his recent stories with The Athletic. This wouldn’t exactly make a platoon at first base, but he would be a decent upgrade over what they have in Bauers. If you are hoping for that type of upgrade in the lineup, this will cost a fortune. Back in 2018, Manny Machado was traded for 5 prospects, one of which was a Top 100 prospect. A few years later, the Cubs traded the likes of Kris Bryant and Javier Baez for prospects in the receiving teams top 30 prospects. If we look at a more recent trade, Juan Soto was traded along with Trent Grisham for MLB ready players as well as a top pitching prospect now part of MLB Pipelines top 100 prospects. With that logic in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Mets ask for one of our top 100 prospects in Misiorowski, Tyler Black or Jeferson Quero. Not only that, the organization would likely have to put in MLB experienced talent like Garrett Mitchell, Joey Weimer, or Sal Frelick. Even so, that STILL might not be enough. With that in mind, don’t expect the Brewers to buy 2024 all star talent. It’s really going to depend how much the organization is willing to give up. Their best chances at a deal with the Mets is Manaea or Martinez. They’ll drum up a deal at some point but will it be a deal with the Mets remains to be seen. We’ll know for sure as we get closer to the deadline. Are the Mets a great trade partner? What other players would you like to see moved in a potential Mets-Brewers deal? What other selling teams could strike a deal with the Brewers? Let us know in the comments. White Sox: Marlins: Blue Jays: Angels: Rockies:

It's time to look at another potential trade partner for the Milwaukee Brewers. We have just entered the month of June, and trade season is on the horizon. Normally around this time, we start to have an idea as to which teams will be buying or selling at the deadline. There are a couple of teams who have already shown signs of selling. Last week, we discussed the possibility of the Chicago White Sox being a trade partner for the Brewers. Even though the Crew recently swept the club, there is a chance the two clubs can do business. However, after the scuffle on Sunday, Tommy Pham may not be part of the deal. This week, we are going to look at the team that already sold off one of their best players, in the Miami Marlins. Our very own Brock Beauchamp wrote about a potential trade of one of their pitchers on our rumor page, which you can find here. Why don’t we dive deeper into the potential of landing one of the big fish in Miami? Miami Marlins: (21-39) 5th in the NL East The two-time World Series champions have had a ton of ups and downs over the years. There was a time when they had the best outfield in Major League Baseball. Leading the way was their only NL MVP in franchise history, Giancarlo Stanton. Two-time All-Star Marcell Ozuna was another great power bat for the organization, and Christian Yelich was that Gold Glove guy who always got on base. Add that with a veteran presence in Ichiro Suzuki, and you got the fatal four in the outfield. After a 2017 season in which they finished 77-85, took second in the division, and were 20 games behind the Washington Nationals, the organization started tearing things down. Despite just winning the MVP award and signing an extension a few years earlier, Stanton was traded to the Yankees after two separate trade attempts were blocked due to his no-trade clause. Ozuna was traded to the Cardinals for a decent package. Then there’s the trade we know and love, bringing Yelich to the Brewers. Fast-forward to 2023 and the Marlins had their first 162-game season with an above .500 record since 2009. Their manager, Skip Schumaker, was awarded the NL Manager of the Year, as his team claimed one of the three NL Wild Card spots. They weren't especially good at hitting, pitching, or fielding, but they cobbled together a huge number of close wins and snuck into the playoffs--where they were then unceremoniously eliminated. That success came despite some brutal injury problems, especially in their starting pitching rotation. Sandy Alcántara regressed somewhat from his 2022 Cy Young Award season, and then his campaign was cut short due to an arm injury in September. He was ruled out of 2024 after having Tommy John surgery. Much-hyped 21-year-old prospect Eury Pérez, who had seen split time in the minors and majors in 2023, also got the surgery, sidelining him for the entirety of 2024. The team had to rely on 37-year-old Johnny Cueto, who had a 6.41 ERA in 10 starts. Outside of Cueto, the Marlins didn’t have a regular starting pitcher over the age of 27. While they were going through those youthful growing pains, they have done a decent job as starters. This year, however, says a lot of different things. Why Would They Sell? The team is in the bottom third of the league in terms of ERA, WHIP, walks, strikeouts, and opponent batting average. Both Alcántara and Pérez are absent from the rotation. They're young, and they're bad. The oldest starter in that clubhouse is Alcántara, and he’s 28. Who’s their most successful? That would be former Padre and trade deadline acquisition, Ryan Weathers. He is the only starter with an ERA below 4.00 (currently at 3.41). There have been some bright spots in this rotation, including Braxton Garrett’s 1.06 WHIP; Edward Cabrera’s 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings; and Jesús Luzardo continuing to look overwhelmingly good when he's on. But for the most part, they are young, uneven arms, albeit controllable and high-upside types. As for the offensive side, it’s not much better. They are currently 29th in both OPS and runs. The best player in both those categories is MLB 23: The Show cover star Jazz Chisolm Jr. He’s also one of two players with an OPS+ over 100. In case you were wondering, the other one currently plays for the San Diego Padres. Luis Arráez was the Marlins' biggest trade asset, and they traded him a month ago. They received three interesting prospects, which is what they desperately need. They also acquired reliever Woo-Suk Go, but recently designated him for assignment. MLB Pipeline ranked the organization as the 29th-best farm system in baseball entering this season. For a team that doesn’t have many bright spots, they don't have as much coming up as you'd hope, either. The Marlins currently have three players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list. Their top talent, Noble Meyer (No. 44), was their first-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft. With their next pick, they drafted arguably the best left-handed pitcher in the class, in Thomas White (No. 87). While both guys are currently in High-A, former 2020 third overall pick Max Meyer (No. 81) has already made three quality starts for the Fish this season. However, Meyer is currently with their Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, as they carefully (perhaps too carefully) manage his workload. The club has a few veteran players on one-year deals. Even players with two or three years of club control could be for sale, if they get a quality package of prospects in return. But it makes you wonder if the Brewers should really make an offer to the Marlins. Why the Marlins Could Be a Trade Partner The Yelich trade might go down as the best in Brewers history. But there’s no way the Brewers can make a steal like that twice, right? It’s no secret that the Brewers are going to need some starting pitching. This is especially the case if rookie Robert Gasser ends up missing significant time with the flexor tendon strain that has landed him on the injured list. Tobias Myers has been shaky in his handful of outings, despite flashes of excellence. Perhaps, help is already on the way. We just found out Jakob Junis will be going on rehab assignments in Triple-A soon. Joe Ross is also on the injured list, but could make a quick return, and he has been serviceable so far. However, this season, we’ve seen pitchers drop like flies. Wade Miley, Spencer Strider, Shane Bieber, John Means, Lucas Giolito, José Urquidy, and Tony Gonsolin are just a few names that are going to miss the rest of the 2024 season. If this should tell us anything, organizations are going to have to put together competitive offers to get starters for the rotation. Brewers Trade Targets: Unlike the White Sox, where we didn’t hear any sort of trade conversations, the Marlins have recently had teams inquiring on closer Tanner Scott, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Scott is on an expiring contract, and has been easily the best pitcher out of their bullpen. As much as the Brewers have had injury woes with their pitchers, their bullpen has not faltered. Sure, pitchers like Mitch White, Kevin Herget, and Janson Junk have been inconsistent out of the pen. But they might have found something in Enoli Paredes. Joel Payamps and Elvis Peguero have settled into new roles quite nicely. Even with Devin Williams’s return for the stretch run looming and the uncertainty that comes with it, the Brewers don’t have to go after Scott. However, these guys could very well be players the Crew will be interested in. Jesús Luzardo: 9 GS, 51.2 IP, 4.18 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 50 K, 16 BB Let’s first look at the players who were mentioned in Rosenthal’s recent roundup for The Athletic. Luzardo, who was part of the Starling Marte trade with the Oakland Athletics in 2021, was slowly eased into the starter role. He didn’t start coming to form until the 2022 season, when he had a 3.32 ERA, a 3.12 FIP, and a 1.05 WHIP. Last season, he was able to strike out 208 batters in 32 starts and 178 2/3 innings pitched. Compared to Freddy Peralta last year, Luzardo walked one more batter, struck out two fewer, and allowed the same number of runs. Luzardo could be the lefty equivalent of the Brewers' ace. He does have two more years of club control left, so the price will be higher than for those players whose contracts will expire sooner. The Brewers would likely have to use a top prospect and depending on the interest, they may have to use one of their Top 100 prospects. The prices from these trade candidates don’t get much cheaper. Braxton Garrett: 4 GS, 23.2 IP, 4.56 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 21 K, 3 BB If the Brewers want a more consistent arm, to the point where they know exactly what they’re going to get, look no further than Garrett. He may not be as flashy or dominant as Luzardo, but he has been a decent middle- to back-of-the-rotation guy for the club. The last few years, Garrett has had a sub-4.00 ERA. While this season looks different after four starts, it’s worth noting his FIP is currently the lowest it has ever been (3.35). His first two starts of the season weren’t that impressive, allowing 11 earned runs in just 9.2 innings. He followed up with a four hit, complete-game shutout performance. He may be a player to monitor over the next few weeks, but he is under club control until the 2029 season. For a club that plans to rebuild, years of control are very important. So, it might take a nice package to part ways with Garrett. There might be one pitcher the Brewers could get from the Marlins, though, who wouldn't be that pricey. Trevor Rogers: 12 GS, 57.0 IP, 5.68 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 47 K, 27 BB There aren't yet any signs of Rogers being on the move. However, if the team could get some prospects without giving up their heavy hitters, then your rotation could still look good beyond the 2024 season. The former All-Star and 2021 Rookie of the Year runner-up, Rogers has had a series of down seasons. In 2022, he had a 5.47 ERA in 23 starts, effectively falling off from the prior season. A few down seasons and a strained left bicep later, his career stats don’t look impressive. A 4.38 ERA, a 1.75 WHIP and 9.7 strikeouts per nine doesn’t look promising. However, he is only 26 years old, and has two more years of club control after this one. He will probably be one of the cheaper options on the trade market, but with pitchers being a premium, the Marlins may be okay selling off Rogers for a decent haul. Josh Bell: 60 GP, .243/.316/.372, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 94 OPS+ If the market for the Marlins starting pitchers starts to get out of hand, maybe the Crew can look for a position player who can provide another spark in the lineup. Say hello to a familiar name, in first baseman and designated hitter Josh Bell. Bell is probably the best hitter on this team not named for a musical genre. While he has been off to a slow start, Bell has batted .316/.370/.465 in his last 30 games. Even if he is not the same guy who hit 37 home runs in 2019 as part of the Pirates, he provides a serviceable switch-hitting ability to any team’s lineup. Bell is going to be a free agent after this season, so he would be seen as a rental. If the Brewers went for this trade, it would likely spell the end for the Jake Bauers experiment; Bauers has had a ton of ups and downs with the club. Adding Bell would provide a decent bat in the DH spot against right-handed pitchers, or when Gary Sánchez needs a day off. Don’t be surprised if there is a market for them and they would have to part ways with a Top 30 organizational prospect in the Bradley Blalock range. The Marlins have a lot of work to do to get back into playoff conversations for future seasons. There will be a ton of suitors for their pitching or veteran bats. The question is: Are the Brewers willing to pay top prospects to better their rotation? Are the Marlins a good trade partner for the Brewers? Are there any players we are missing as potential trade candidates? Whom would you like to see the Brewers trade for?

The Brewers have just completed their second full month of baseball. After a series against the Cubs, Royals, Cardinals, Pirates, Astros, Marlins, and Red Sox, the Brewers still hold a sizable lead in the NL Central. One key reason they have maintained their lead is their pitching, which had a 3.56 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP on the month. But what pitchers shined their brightest this month? Last month, we split the awards into two separate categories and articles. This month, we are giving all the love in one story. Here are the top pitchers who stood out in May. Honorable Mentions While both Bryse Wilson and Elvis Peguero have had success in their roles, both have allowed a ton of walks, raising their WHIP statistic to 1.46 and 1.73 on the month. On the other hand, Joe Ross has improved in key aspects (3.18 ERA, 0.94 WHIP). Just missing this list was Hoby Milner, who was throwing a 2.03 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 11 games prior to his outing on Tuesday before allowing three runs and four hits in 0.2 innings. It was also hard to omit Enoli Paredes, who hasn’t given up a hit in four games, *knock on wood*. Pitchers of the Month #4 – Jared Koenig - May Stats: 12 G, 2 GS, 2.87 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 15.2 IP, 12 H, 4 BB, 15 K Jared Koenig, the 1,000th player to play in a Brewers uniform, was signed to a minor league contract in November. He was added to the 40-man list in a plethora of moves, including Kevin Herget's DFA. April marked his return to the majors after not appearing with the Padres last season. While his April was nothing to sneeze at (1.04 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 5 games), he just missed the top pitchers of the month. This last month, he earned a spot on this list as one of the reliable left-handers coming out of the bullpen. He is one of the few pitchers who is okay to go a couple of innings if necessary, doing so six times out of the 12 appearances this month. He was even used as an opener in back-to-back games, marking the first player to do so since Zack Greinke back in 2012. There’s no guarantee Koenig will make another start this season. However, Koenig has been used in all facets of the game, whether it be in high or low leverage. His 2.22 ERA on the season is only second-best out of the bullpen to another pitcher we will get to later. 3 – Trevor Megill – May Stats: 9 G, 3.68 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7 S, 7.1 IP, 9 H, 0 BB, 12 K It appears the Brewers have found their closing pitcher for the time being. While nobody can replace Devin Williams's work in the closer role, Trevor Megill has done a great job keeping the seat warm. While he did suffer some serious food poisoning in April, no bad food in New York could keep this guy from throwing his 100 MPH flamethrower. One stat that stands out from this month is the zero walks allowed. Not to mention the nearly 15 strikeouts per nine innings he has recorded this month. His other stats could be a little misleading, as he was removed from a recent game after getting struck by a ball in the arm. Megill only faced one batter, throwing only three pitches. He was charged with an earned run after an inherited runner came in to score. He isn’t going to land on the injured list, as he avoided a fracture, and his injury is day-to-day. As of May, his 2.57 ERA and 1.14 WHIP are the best recorded in his career. Even when Williams returns in July, Megill should see some significant time out of the bullpen in crucial spots. 2 – Starter of the Month - Robert Gasser – May Stats: 4 GS, 1.96 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 23.0 IP, 21 H, 1 BB, 13 K As I said, we honored two separate awards for pitchers last month. But if we were to continue that trend for every month, it would be no surprise rookie Robert Gasser was the clear frontrunner for the May Starter of the Month. In case you still need to remember, Gasser was one of the four pieces in the Josh Hader trade in 2022. According to MLB Pipeline, the Brewers' #4 prospect was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training, leaving a mark on the potential starter of the future. Making his debut against the Cardinals on May 10, Gasser threw six shutout innings, allowing only two hits and recording his first career win. He is the first Brewer to record a win in his first two career starts. Three of his four starts were considered quality, as he allowed fewer than three runs in six-plus innings. While his strikeouts haven’t come along just yet, he did record seven strikeouts in six innings against their division rival, the Chicago Cubs. He may not have gotten the win on his record, but the team was able to hold the Cubs to one run in a 5-1 effort thanks to late-inning heroics. He’s only started five games as of the posting of this story, but he is making a name for himself early in his career. *Winner* – Reliever of the Month - Bryan Hudson – May Stats: 10 G, 1.72 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 15.2 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 20 K Who would’ve thought two rookies would’ve topped our list as Pitchers of the Month? Once again, we take the time to thank the Dodgers for trading Bryan Hudson to the Milwaukee Brewers. However, nobody could have predicted this type of performance in the season's first two months. With a 1.13 ERA, a 0.75 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 32 innings, Hudson is performing like a, dare I say it, All-Star. The only blemish from this last month was the two home runs he gave up on Thursday (thanks cubs). Otherwise, he has been lights out, recording five holds and two wins this month. Thanks to the efforts of Hudson, we continue to thrive out of our bullpen, and we now have a few more lefties to use in multiple situations. If the Brewers need to have a quick one, two, three inning, the Crew can turn to this guy as he becomes our back-to-back, Pitcher of the Month. Do you agree with this list? Are there any pitchers that should be on this list? What players could we see on this list for the month of June? Come back next month as we will crown possibly a new winner for pitcher of the month.

It’s never too early to make a trade in hopes of bolstering your team. Just look at the Padres, who were able to trade for the Marlins' Luis Arráez earlier this month. For the most part, though, teams wait several weeks into each campaign before choosing and acting on a path forward, to find out how aggressive they should be and to make sure they're heading in the correct direction. Trades before the start of June are rare. Now that we are two months into the season, we have a pretty good idea which teams are competing for the playoffs, as well as the teams that should consider selling off assets and turning their gaze toward the future. Over the next couple of months, we're going to look at the teams who could be sellers come the trade deadline--and as we well know, the action might pick up sooner than that. Check back every week all the way up to the All-Star break, as we’ll look at the potential pieces that can be on the move and the possibility of the Brewers getting involved. In today’s edition, we are going to look at team who’s made it pretty clear they will be looking to move on from their expiring contracts. Chicago White Sox: (15-40) 5th in the AL Central There was a time where the White Sox looked like a team on the rise. Luis Robert was a promising prospect, and the same could be said for outfielder and DH Eloy Jiménez. Tim Anderson was among the top hitters for average. There was even veteran leadership in José Abreu and Yoán Moncada. As potential continued to grow, the team made a few splashes in free agency adding the likes of Yasmani Grandal, A.J. Pollock, and (most recently) Andrew Benintendi. As for the pitching, the rotation was held down with aces like Lucas Giolito, Carlos Rodón, Dylan Cease, Lance Lynn, and Dallas Keuchel, just to name a few. Let’s not forget a solid bullpen that was held down by the likes of Liam Hendriks, Alex Colomé and Reynaldo López. After making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (including a division title in 2021), the organization was on top of the world. Then, very quickly, it came tumbling down. Why Would They Sell? Fast-forward to today, and while Jiménez and Robert are still part of the team, the most consistent hitter at this point in the season is 36-year-old Tommy Pham. Every other position player is hitting below .250, has been injured, or both. Their pitching staff isn’t much better. After selling off Cease in March, their current ace looks to be Erick Fedde, a cheap re-import from the Korean Baseball Organization. He currently sits at a 3.10 ERA, with a 1.09 WHIP and 8 strikeouts per nine innings. All the veteran players have been sold off for prospects or moved on in free agency. It seems the team has a long way to go before they start competing for a division title. The team has a ton of expiring contracts this season, including the aforementioned Pham, Michael Soroka, Chris Flexen, and Paul DeJong. Jiménez can also become a free agent, should the White Sox decline his $16.5-million club option for 2025. To make matters worse, their farm system isn’t the greatest. According to MLB Pipeline, the White Sox were 20th on the 2024 Preseason Farm System Rankings. While this was announced prior to the Cease trade, they could still use a few more prospects to rise up those rankings. Right now, those standings matter more than the ones in the AL Central for 2024, since the Sox will play no interesting part in the latter fight. The White Sox currently have four players on the top 100, including catcher Edgar Quero (MLB Pipeline’s #96 prospect), whom they got in the Giolito/López trade with the Angels last July; and hurler Drew Thorpe (#56 prospect), whom they landed in the Cease trade. Their top prospect, shortstop Colson Montgomery (#11 prospect), has struggled a bit in Triple-A, but he still figures to make his debut at some point this season. As for former first-round pick Noah Schultz (#40 prospect), he’s still in High-A and has a long way to go before coming to Chicago. Why Are the White Sox a Trade Partner? It's pretty simple: they'll be selling, clearly and quickly, and they have starting pitching to move. As we already know, the Brewers traded their ace in Corbin Burnes to the Orioles in exchange for Joey Ortiz and potential starter DL Hall. However, Hall just had a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, and in addition to more down time ahead, he's staring down the possibility of never sticking as a starter. Brandon Woodruff returned to the team, but isn’t expected to pitch this season. Wade Miley will miss the rest of the season after Tommy John surgery. Jakob Junis, who was also expecting to start some games, landed on the injury list after one start, and his progress toward a return has been frustratingly slow. Right now, the rotation consists of Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, Bryse Wilson, Robert Gasser, and Tobias Myers. They even got fancy with it during the Red Sox series, as they used Jared Koenig as an opener for back-to-back games. While this rotation has shown signs of success, it could be a matter of time before something slips and starts to buckle from beneath. Utterly buried in the standings and with uncertain futures for their manager and their own, the White Sox have little leverage in trade talks. So instead of spending a Tyler Black or a Brock Wilken, the team could look at selling a Freddy Zamora or a Ryan Birchard. Depending on the player, though, it’ll probably be somewhere in the middle. It’s very hard to predict how the White Sox value their players. But if they haven’t considered a full teardown before, there’s a good chance they will do something like that now. So which players could the Brewers look at? Let’s look. Potential Brewers Trade Targets: While there hasn’t been any rumored trade talks with any of the White Sox players, there has been a potential list of names that could be on the move, with just about every productive name on their roster on it: Fedde, Pham, reliever Michael Kopech, and several more. Now, these players are expected to go, but there’s no telling if the White Sox will find the right offer, or if they will include any other player on the market. But of the potential players the Brewers would be interested in, here are the few that make the most sense. Erick Fedde: 11 GS, 64.1 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 58 K, 18 BB Fedde is probably the easiest, best trade piece for Chicago this season. If you looked at any of his statistics in MLB, you would think that Fedde wouldn’t keep it up. Prior to this season, he had a career 5.41 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP and 7.0 strikeouts per nine. But his best statistics were recorded overseas. The former first-round pick played for the NC Dinos of the Korean League. In that one year, he was the best player in the league. He had a 2.00 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP and 209 strikeouts, becoming the first foreign player to win 20 games and record over 200 strikeouts. He won every award under the Korean baseball sun, including the Triple Crown, the Choi Dong-won Award, and the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award. That’s like a pitcher winning the Cy Young Award and the MVP in the same season. Not always does success in Korea translate well in MLB--see former Brewer Josh Lindblom. However, Fedde has performed well to start the season. The White Sox signed him to a two-year deal worth $15 million, so he will cost some money, but it's a very manageable amount. There is a chance competing teams could get into a bidding war for this pitcher, allowing the team with the best offer to get him. Let’s hope one of those teams will be the Brewers. Tommy Pham: 25 GP, .304/.355/.443, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 127 OPS+ While the Brewers (at first glance) may not need another hard-hitting, right-handed bat, the recent success of Pham may be enough to take a spot on the Crew’s roster. After having a decent season with the Mets and the D-backs, he signed with the White Sox shortly after Opening Day this spring, on a minor-league contract. He played only four preparatory games in the minors, before being called up to the parent club just over a month ago. If the team is planning to get younger, having a 36-year-old outfielder isn’t doing the White Sox any favors. The club will still take the best offer for the player. There should be a decent number of suitors for the veteran outfielder. By the trade deadline, the Brewers should have five outfielders in Christian Yelich, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Jackson Chourio, and Blake Perkins. However, with Perkins and Chourio’s recent struggles, the crew might need a veteran upgrade in the lineup while one of them sees more time in Triple-A. Injuries, too, are always a factor, and have been especially important considerations for Yelich and Mitchell. They could well end up in a position, come late July, to pursue a bat like Pham's. Michael Soroka: 12 GP, 53 IP, 5.43 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 39 K, 31 BB Injuries have shipwrecked Soroka's career, but somewhere in there is the talent that once made him a highly promising arm for the upstart Atlanta team fixated on regaining its primacy in the NL East. Most of you are probably wondering why the Brewers would want a struggling pitcher who was relegated to the bullpen recently. In short, they'd be trying to find the same magic he captured before tearing his Achilles tendon in late 2020. Soroka was an All-Star in 2019 as part of the Braves, where in 29 starts, he had a 2.68 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and a league-leading 0.7 home runs per nine innings. As stated earlier, his 2020 season was cut short due to injury. His Achilles has been his, er, biggest weakness ever since, as he suffered a setback in 2021 and re-tore it in 2022, effectively ending his season. The Braves remained cautious with him, until he was eventually traded to the White Sox in the Aaron Bummer trade. Sure, he hasn’t looked like his old self since his injury. But he might be a nice surprise to a rotation that has been plagued with injuries (ironic, I know). Because of his injury history and his season not being off to a great start, he would be on the cheaper side in value. He is only on a one-year contract, but there's team control remaining, and at 26, he has a bunch of time to turn his career around. The Brewers could very much be buyers as we get closer to the deadline. While the obvious choice is to go after a team like the White Sox who aren’t going to be competing any time soon, there are other teams who could be looking to upgrade their farm system in hopes of building a young core. Should the Brewers consider a move with the White Sox? What kind of players would you like to be a part of a potential deal with them? Come back next week when we will look at another team that has already made moves to start a rebuild.

Despite the ever-growing number of their players hitting the injured list, the Brewers are still in first place. It seems like every player on this team is contributing. As a group, the Brewers have a .258 batting average (3rd in MLB), .760 OPS (3rd), 58 home runs (4th), 224 RBIs (3rd), and a 3.80 bullpen ERA (12th). It makes you wonder how impressive these numbers would be with a completely healthy organization. We could be seeing that sooner rather than later, however, as we have been hearing positive injury reports like Devin Williams starting to throw; Garrett Mitchell finally getting the splint off his hand and expecting to see live pitching soon; and DL Hall starting a rehab assignment recently. When these guys come back, the organization will have some difficult decisions to make. Granted, baseball transactions aren't as simple as swapping out one player for another. There's a 40-man roster to balance, the limited number of times a player can be sent down in the middle of a season, and the number of minor-league options a player has. Moves can be unpredictable. The Brewers have 10 players on their injured list. We know Brandon Woodruff and Wade Miley will be done for the rest of the season, so the Brewers will have to send down eight players once everyone else is good to go. With four of these pitchers coming off the 60-day injured list, four players will have to be removed from the 40-man roster. With that in mind, let’s take a look what the Brewers could do as each player gets healthy, barring any other injuries occurring--although, of course, they will, as we were reminded when Joe Ross landed on the injured list after Monday's game. Let’s get into it. Mitch White Designated for Assignment Once DL Hall Returns This could be simply recency bias, but Mitch White looks like the odd man out. Regardless of how you see it, it’s hard to make a case for White to stay beyond the return of Hall. Hall has a lot of promising stuff, be it as a starter or out of the pen. The team might lean toward the latter, though, after Hall struggled mightily before landing on the IL last month. In four starts, he has allowed 14 runs, all within the first three innings, and has only pitched beyond the fourth inning once. His ERA currently sits at 7.71, and has a WHIP over 2.20. Hall recently had a rehab assignment for the Brewers' minor-league High-A affiliate in Appleton, where he pitched a clean inning, striking out one. His fastball was in the mid-90s topping off at 95 MPH. According to our very own Jack Stern, Hall’s next assignment will be part of the Nashville Sounds, in hopes his velocity remains the same. If Hall becomes a starter again, Bryse Wilson would likely go back to the bullpen and be used in spot starts. Perhaps he’ll even back up Hall if he has a rocky start. Whether he’s a starter or not, the Brewers will have to send down a pitcher. Seeing as Robert Gasser has been impressive thus far, you can’t send him down yet. Jared Koenig has also put up decent numbers (3.12 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 12 G, 17 1/3 IP) in more stressful situations. The Brewers will likely send down a player who only is used in garbage time, or who has been least effective in close game situations. After White threw two innings on Sunday afternoon, his ERA ballooned up to 7.71 on the season (7.94 as a Brewer). While his WHIP as a Brewer sits at 1.24, he was only brought in when the game seemed out of hand or a blowout. Sunday against the Astros was his first test, and it didn’t really go well. Monday night, they turned to him purely out of desperation, and he couldn't meet the challenge. The Brewers acquired White in a trade with the Giants after he was designated for assignment (DFA). It might not be too long before he is DFAed again, which would bring the Brewers' 40-man roster down to 38. Joey Wiemer's Return Ends Shortly Upon Mitchell's Return Because the 40-man roster sits at 39, the Brewers won’t have to remove anyone from the 40-man roster to reinstate Mitchell (unless they need to add someone between now and then). However, one player has to go to keep the MLB roster at 26. Joey Wiemer’s season has been up and down, literally and figuratively. While he took time this offseason to adjust his swing, he hasn’t found a ton of success just yet. When he was called up in Mid-April, he struggled, only getting on base in three out of 16 games. He has four hits this season, but he also has a 33.3% strikeout rate. He was placed on the injured list with a knee injury and returned this week, but without any kind of thunderous revelation. Weimer just got reinstated to the roster, so time will tell if anything has changed, but how long of a leash will they give him? With Mitchell making his way back and Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins all getting playing time, there is just no time for Weimer to play. Now, granted, Perkins hasn’t been doing the best (.157/.200/.235 in the last 15 games). But sending down Perkins will use one of his minor-league options, whereas Wiemer has already been optioned this season. It’s fair to say Weimer still hasn’t found the same magic he had in the high minors in 2022, or that he occasionally showed last year in MLB. To be fair, he's hasn't had a ton of games this season to prove us wrong. It might be best to send Wiemer down to Triple-A to try to figure something out with his hitting. As for Mitchell, he will be coming off a hand injury, so there is a good chance his swing will take some time to get back to 100%. He had a .319 batting average during spring training and was starting to look like the player everyone remembered prior to his shoulder injury in 2023. Who’s to say how much of that he can reclaim, in the wake of the injury? If Perkins doesn’t get out of the funk he is in, we might see Wiemer with a larger role with the team. But for now, the organization (and even some members of the fanbase) are high on Perkins. He’s just going to have a longer leash, at least for now. His superb defense is too valuable to lose. Owen Miller Back to Nashville, Home Run Leader Returns After hurting his hamstring while running to first base earlier this month, Brewers free-agent addition and home run leader Rhys Hoskins found himself on the injured list. However, Pat Murphy believes it will be a shorter stint on the list, according to Todd Rosiak. Of the position players who can be sent down but whom we haven't already discussed in this piece, the Brewers have two struggling infielders: Andruw Monasterio and Owen Miller. You can take your pick on either one, as they have a combined eight hits in 56 plate appearances., Monasterio has the same amount of hits as Miller (4). If you want to look into minor league stats, Monasterio is hitting .243/.362/.297, compared to Miller’s .352/.410/.477. These two are one and the same person. They both started hitting again in the Marlins series, mostly because they finally got to see the left-handed pitching that keeps them above water as big-league bats. Should one of them get sent down, we might see Frelick getting more time in the infield. Though it is going to be hard to take the hot-hitting Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz out of the lineup, moving Frelick around would give more opportunities to the other outfielders on the roster, while preserving Frelick's own role. When they get back their slugging first baseman, the lineup will get better, regardless of what else they decide to do. Bradley Blalock Sent Down as Pitchers Return The Brewers acquired Blalock in the Luis Urías trade with the Boston Red Sox last season. He was added to the 40-man roster in November, to keep him out of the Rule 5 Draft. Blalock has been a solid starter for the Biloxi Shuckers this season. In seven starts, he has a 2.27 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP and a .226 opponent batting average in 35 2/3 innings. He has bounced back well from his Tommy John surgery in 2022, as he's continued to throw in the mid-90s with his fastball. According to MLB.com, the Brewers love his power curveball, along with other off-speed pitches. He is probably seen as a platoon pitcher, however, as he struggles pitching against lefty hitters. It's not just DL Hall who could be returning from the injured list. Their two time All-Star closer, Devin Williams, should be back by the end of July, barring any setbacks. Since the beginning of the season, Wiliams was designated to miss at least half of the campaign, with hopes that he would be back by the All-Star break. However, it seems like things have progressed nicely, as we saw Williams starting to play catch in Houston over the weekend. Once he does come back, Williams will reassume his closer role; Trevor Megill will probably become the eighth-inning setup man; and everyone else takes a step back in the bullpen. With Williams's activation, they won't necessarily need to take a player off the 40-man roster, but they will need to send a player down to Triple-A. Blalock may not have even made his MLB debut as of the time of this writing, but he seems like the only option. Blalock was called up from Double-A, skipping over the Nashville Sounds to the big leagues. The Brewers must see a lot of good things in him. But a returning Williams (or Ross, should he be back sooner) will likely bounce him from the mix. As a consolation prize, he figures to return to the minors by going to Nashville, rather than back to Biloxi. Even if Blalock has a decent debut, is it going to be better than Jakob Junis, J.B. Bukauskas, or Ross, who are all on the injured list and could come back later this season? That has yet to be seen. This is more of a wait-and-see transaction. Barring incredible leaps and bounds from Blalock, this seems like the likely move. The "Next Man Up" vs. The Veterans We haven’t heard a lot about either Junis or Bukauskas recently. What we do know is that Bukauskas can’t return from the 60-day IL until mid-June at the earliest, and Junis was progressing into his throwing program when he got struck in the neck with a batting practice ball. He can come back sooner than Bukauskas, but still not until next month. Junis only had one start for the Brewers, allowing one run in four innings. Bukauskas was called up to the Brewers when Megill was placed on the injured list due to a concussion. In his six appearances, he's allowed one run, one walk, and three hits, while striking out six batters. He was shelved with a strained lat, but was transferred to the 60-day IL after getting a second opinion. Because of the little information, we can’t put a timetable on when we could see either of these guys again. But should they both come back before Williams, the Brewers will have to have to say goodbye to two players on the 40-man. The simplest option is to send down the guys who took over for the injured, but that decision could be hard if players like Robert Gasser, Tobias Myers, and a starting Bryse Wilson are performing at a high level. This could result in veteran players like Joel Payamps or Joe Ross having an unceremonious exit from the Brewers roster, especially if they continue to struggle a bit. Payamps had a career season in 2023. As the setup man, he recorded a 2.55 ERA, a 3.48 FIP, and a 1.05 WHIP in 69 appearances. His 27 holds were tied for 8th-most in MLB. This season, however, doesn't have that same type of magic. He still has a decent WHIP (1.10) and opponent batting average (.219), but he has allowed eight runs in 16 1/3 innings blossoming his ERA to 4.41. He's pitched in the eighth inning in six separate appearances, and has a 5.06 ERA and a .304/.360/.882 opponent slash line, Thanks to two rough outings in May, his ERA once rose up to as high as 5.54. He has settled down in his last few games, but his role has bounced around the entire bullpen. He's trending in the right direction, but successes from Koenig (2.70 ERA, 0 ER in the eighth) and Megill (1.98 ERA, 7 saves) could put his job in jeopardy. Ross, on the other hand, has garnered a lot of praise from the skipper since the very beginning. He may have not pitched in the big leagues since 2021, before this year, but he has done a decent job as a back-of-the-rotation starter. He has a 4.50 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP and just 1.8 walks per nine innings. Ross is the recent addition to the injured list, opening the door for the next man up in Tobias Myers. In his debut, Myers went five strong innings, allowing one home run in a losing effort against the Pirates. Since then, it has been kind of rocky. He reached the five-inning mark one other time, but allowed four runs. After four starts, he was sent back down to Triple-A. Myers was called back up on May 21, and was immediately put to work out of the bullpen. In one inning, he struck out two batters and allowed one hit, leading to his first career win. We don't exactly know if he will be part of the rotation, but as of this writing, the Brewers have yet to determine the starter for their Sun., May 26 game against the Red Sox. Then there is Gasser, a top prospect in the Brewers system who was acquired in the Josh Hader trade back in 2022. He has made an immediate impact on the rotation, allowing only one run in his first two starts. He is the first Brewer in team history to earn a win in his first two career starts. His first blemish came in sixth inning in the May 21 game, wherein he allowed three runs. Despite that, Gasser has a 2.65 ERA with six strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP. His spot in the rotation comes up again on Memorial Day against the Cubs. If he continues to perform, the Brewers' $7-million investment in Junis could be transitioned to the bullpen, or even take over Ross's role in the rotation. It's hard to make a decision when there are so many options at the team's disposal. Whatever the Brewers decide to do with these injured players (or any active player on the bubble), they are going to try their best to keep as many talented individuals in their organization as possible. Who do you think will be cut from the roster? What players are you excited to see return from the injured list? How soon do you think these players will be back to 100%? Let us know.

Well, we are on our final major league award of the month of April. A few days ago, we talked about the best hitters last month. Yesterday, we looked at the best starters in the Crews rotation. Today we are looking at the guys that are supposed to finish what the rotation started: the relievers. No matter what your role is in the bullpen, teams rely on these pitchers for an inning or two to hold down the fort for a short amount of time. For the Brewers, they don’t have a set closer, so they had to work with a total of ten different arms in their bullpen. After crunching the number, three pitchers really stood out with one of them being the clear-cut winner. Stay tuned as we look at the top three performers coming out of the pen. Honorable Mentions The Brewers have had a ton of injuries to both the rotation and the bullpen. Trevor Megill was one of those rising start pitchers that had to deal with a scary injury. He had two solid outings prior to his concussion which led to the Brewers calling up JB Bukauskas. Megill has since came back and continued his success ending the month with a 1.35 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP while striking out six batters in 6 2/3 innings. While Megill was able to return from the injured list in the middle of month, Bukauskas found himself on the injured list after pitching in six separate games. Bukauskas ended up with a 1.50 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP in six innings. Not too long after the Brewers called up what was eventually the 1,000 player to play for the Milwaukee Brewers in Jared Koenig. He may be bouncing back and forth from the minor leagues, but Koenig still had a decent April throwing a 1.04 ERA in 8 2/3 innings. Just missing out on our top three was Elvis Peguero who has been heavily relied on all month making 13 separate appearances. While he may have a 3-0 record and a 2.71 FIP, his recent outing against the Yankees inflated his ERA to 4.05 and his WHIP to 1.50. After his 1 2/3 outing on Tuesday, the ERA has gone down to 3.60, but he did allow an inherited run and his WHIP at 1.53. He’ll remain a key cog in this bullpen so don’t be surprised if we see him in the top three at some point this season. Third Place: Joel Payamps Let’s address the elephant in the room, the Devin Williams injury left a huge void in the pen. It left the fan base wondering who was going to close out games. At first we thought Abner Uribe was going to quickly take the reins while Williams was shelved. After a few blown saves and an ERA that has blossomed higher than 6.00, it was clear the team was better off closing games by committee. One name that stepped up is Joel Payamps who was last year’s eighth inning, set up man for the Airbender. This season he has allowed four runs in 10 2/3 innings and is sporting a 0.75 WHIP. His ERA currently sits at 3.38 but has a decent 2.32 FIP and allows 5 hits per nine innings. While Payamps may have pitched in different scenarios, he pitched in the ninth in 7 of his 12 appearances this season. He has yet to give up an earned run in the ninth and an opponent slash line of .046/.125/.046. He managed to finish six games this season collecting four saves in six opportunities. Although he hasn’t pitched the last five days, Pat Murphy will be ready to call Payamps on to finish the game as he’s done all season. Whether it’s a save opportunity or not, he has become a trustworthy name out of the bullpen. Second Place: Hoby Milner There was a time where the fan base was concerned if pitchers like Bryse Wilson or Hoby Milner would show signs of regression and putting up numbers similar to their years outside of Milwaukee. If April has told us anything, there won’t be any regressing any time soon. Miner has been called upon 14 of the 29 games this season. In those games he pitched 12 1/3 innings ending the month with a 2.92 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a .217 opponent batting average. He even recorded his first career save on April 19 against the Cardinals. He isn’t a flamethrower, so he isn’t going to get a ton of strikeouts (11 in March/April). However, the most effective pitchers with slower pitchers tend to keep the ball on the ground and not in the air. While Milner may only be touching the high 80s with his four-seam fastball and sinker, he has an impressive 50% ground ball rate according to baseball savant. He hasn’t given up a run in his last seven outings. Milner is on pace to pitch 78 games this season which is five games more than last season. That season Milner was the Brewers arguably the most reliable left-handed pitcher out of the pen. This season, however, Milner may not be the lone efficient lefty coming out of pen. April Reliever of the Month: Bryan Hudson If you didn’t know this name before the start of the season, you might want to start learning it. He was by far the most effective pitcher for the Brewers this month. Let’s face it we all didn’t see it coming as fast as it did. If earlier this winter you would’ve told me the former left hander from the Dodgers the Crew acquired back in January was going to have a sub 1.00 ERA after more than 10 appearances, I’d probably suggest you to go into stand-up comedy. Yes, the potential was there, and the Brewers saw a lot of good things in the lefty. However, with Hudson having a 7.27 ERA and a 1.85 WHIP, it could be assumed it would take some time. We all know what happens when we assume and how you should never judge a book by its cover because was by far the best pitcher out of the bullpen this month. He hasn’t been afraid to go multiple innings as he has pitched in multiple innings in six games this season. In 16 1/3 innings, he has allowed only one run in 11 appearances. What is that one run you ask? You’ll have to go all the way back to April 8 when Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz hit an inside the park home run to centerfield after Sal Frelick misplayed a line drive in the seventh inning. Because of that, Hudson will have to settle for a 0.55 ERA with a 0.74 WHIP and 17 strikeouts for the month of April. When last year, the Brewers were struggling to find another left hander to come out of the pen, this season the team has two solid, reliable arms that can keep the ball on the ground. Let’s hope Hudson can keep it up throughout the 2024 season. It doesn’t have to be this incredible so long as he doesn’t allow many runs. Do you agree with our pick for Reliever of the Month. Did we leave anybody out of the conversation? Who do you think could be the Reliever of the Month in May? Let us know in the comments and check back for our minor league rewards.

We have made it through the first month of the season. This means it’s now time to announce the Brewer Fanatic Awards for best hitting and pitching for April. This month, Jason Wang is handling the best hitters. You can find the Hitter of the Month of April 2024 elsewhere on the site this week. I will be handling the Pitcher of the Month this year. However, we are going to do a little bit of a twist from last season. Last year, we looked at each pitcher and crowned one pitcher as the pitcher of the month. This season, (at least for this month), just like MLB, we are going to give love to both the starters and the relievers. For this story, we will be looking at the ones who start the game. These pitchers’ goal is to hold the opposing team to as little production as possible. While we would love to see these guys for the entire game, MLB recognizes a quality start as a pitcher who allows fewer than three runs in at least six innings. The Brewers had nine different starters in April. We have narrowed it down to the three top performers within the organization. With that being said, it’s time to announce Brewer Fanatic's Starting Pitcher of the Month: April 2024 Honorable Mentions The Brewers were plagued with a ton of injuries, including Wade Miley and Jakob Junis, who each had two or fewer starts before hitting the injured list. Junis did have a decent first start, yielding one run in four innings of work, but it sounds like the team might transition him to the bullpen. We can’t include raw talents like DL Hall or Tobias Myers. While Hall had four starts before he was moved to the injured list, the jury is out on how big of an impact Myers will make on the rotation who made his debut in Pittsburgh. Despite a rude welcome from Andrew McCutchen, he got through his first start allowing just one run. Pay no attention to his recent outing against the Yankees, although he was arguably the best pitcher on the mound that Sunday. The same could be said for Joe Ross, who had a rough outing, allowing six runs in five innings of work. But before that, he did have a 4.05 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP in 20 innings across four starts. That’s impressive coming from a pitcher who hasn’t seen the big leagues since 2021. Wouldn’t be surprised if we see him in the top three in the future. Third Place: Bryse Wilson - 9 G, 3 GS, 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 24.0 IP, 17 H, 7 BB, 21 K Alright, put your pitchforks and torches down for a second. I know he started in the bullpen this year and can very much go back to the pen in May. But for this month, he showed great potential as a starter in the rotation going forward. Wilson has had three starts this month and while they might not be long starts, they weren’t spot starts either. While his first start only lasted 3 2/3 innings, the next two were stretched out to the length of a starter, throwing in the range of 75-90 pitches per start. While he may have more appearances as a reliever (6), he now has three starts and is better statistically as a starter. In his three starts, Wilson has a 1.93 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and a .184 batting average. His 1.83 strikeouts per walk may be concerning but has shown signs of being a reliable starter for the future. In Monday’s start against the Rays, Wilson struck out six batters in six innings allowing only four hits and one run. With Miley and Hall both gone, Wilson needed to step up as a starter and prove himself and the team that was the right decision. There’s a chance he will remain in the rotation entering May and could be a staple in this already superb starting rotation. Second Place: Colin Rea 5 G, 3.25 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 27.2 IP, 26 H, 9 BB, 18 K It’s hard to believe Rea was once added to the Brewers organization on a minor league deal with an invite to camp. A season later, he earned a major league contract and a regular spot on the Brewers starting rotation. He's not going to be the guy that strikes out a ton of batters (15.1% strikeout rate), but he has gotten out of a ton of tough situations. The closest thing to a put-away pitch is his sweeper which has been used in 13 separate plate appearances and has yet to have gotten a hit off it. The only reason he takes second is because of one recent outing. He too is a victim to a New York Yankees shellacking in Friday’s extra innings victory allowing five runs, three of which being home runs. However, he only allowed four hits and three walks which led to a lower WHIP. The five earned runs didn’t do him any favors. Entering the series, he had a 2.08 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP and 14 strikeouts. If he can continue coming up clutch and continue to improve in the rotation, he might take the number one spot in a future month. But for now, that title belongs to a pitcher who just might be in the Cy Young Award conversation. April Starting Pitcher of the Month: Freddy Peralta 6 G, 3.21 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 33.2 IP, 20 H, 9 BB, 45 K Peralta was once one head of a three-head monster that included Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. With Burnes starting games for Baltimore and Woody expected to be out for the entirety of the 2024 season, Peralta had to step up as the ace of the starting rotation. In his first four starts, he allowed only five runs in 23 2/3 innings striking out 33 batters over four walks. For the month Peralta had a .171 opponent batting average and continued to mow down hitters. He may be Fastball Freddy, but his off-speed pitches have a higher whiff percentage and have been his go-to put-away pitch. There was a chance that the number could've been a lot lower. However, thanks to an ejection with one out in the sixth and a second earned run allowed that was out of his control, the earned run average above three. But that's baseball and he can bring that number down as soon as next Monday. The only real blemish on his April 2024 resume is his start against the Pirates where he allowed five walks, five hits, and five runs in less than five innings of work. However, he had enough run support as the Brewers went on to win 7-5. Every pitcher has their bad and this could be Peralta’s. But even if he continues at this rate, the rest of MLB needs to take notice as he could be a problem for playoff-fighting teams. Do you agree with our picks? What other pitchers should be in consideration for our monthly awards? Tune in tomorrow, when we'll look at the best relief performances of the last month.

There was a time where the Brewers couldn’t decide who would be in their starting rotation. Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, and Colin Rea were all locks to get places. The rest could’ve been decided between Joe Ross, Jakob Junis, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Janson Junk and Robert Gasser--six names for two vacancies. What a potential luxury. By April 22, the Brewers didn’t even have a set rotation for three-quarters of a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This is all thanks to their ever-growing injured list. With Junis, Hall and now Miley all on the 15-day injured list, the Brewers seem to be running out of options. The Brewers don’t have another off day until May 2. What can they do to stay afloat in the meantime? Let’s take a look at what avenues they can explore while they try to get healthy. Who’s Still Standing? Of the names listed above, Peralta, Rea and Ross are the only ones who are currently healthy and on the MLB roster. Peralta has proven to the team and the league that he is a potential Cy Young candidate. In four starts, he currently has a 1.90 ERA, with 33 strikeouts, 4 walks and a 0.76 WHIP over 23 2/3 innings. While Fastball Freddy still has his fastball, his slider has really matured, becoming his next reliable pitch with a 48.9% whiff rate. Might be time to get a new nickname for the ace. Rea has continued his successful starting pitching from last season. He isn’t one for strikeouts (14), but he has a shiny 2.08 ERA and a solid 1.29 WHIP in 21 2/3 innings. There are concerns about his opponent slash line (.253/.309/.356), and his fly ball percentage is the highest it’s ever been (28.8%). His two favorite pitches have led to 18 hits in 50 at-bats, a .360 batting average. He’s getting away with it now, but some regression does seem to be looming ahead. Ross is an interesting final piece, as skipper Pat Murphy has always had confidence in the pitcher. Before this season, the last time Ross saw the big leagues was 2021, as part of the Washington Nationals. Ross is currently carrying a 4.05 ERA, with a 1-2 record and a 1.55 WHIP. He is striking out around eight batters per nine innings and has a 50.8% ground-ball percentage, according to Baseball Savant. He isn’t a superstar, but he has shown he can get the job done as a back half of the rotation starter. The Brewers have already given Bryse Wilson a pair of spot starts. He has starting experience, as part of the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He's neither stretched out to a traditional starter's workload, nor a well-rounded enough hurler to work deep into games, but he's given the team eight solid innings in those two starts and could make another handful of such appearances this season. Tobias Myers made his major-league debut Tuesday, and he didn’t disappoint. He did get a rude welcome to the bigs, thanks to former Brewer Andrew McCutchen sending his first pitch over the wall. However, the 25-year-old right-hander struck out four batters in five innings, in a game that (on almost any other day) could’ve led to his first career win. What Happens Now: In-House Options For the next couple of days, the Crew are set. Peralta will be on the hill for the series finale, and both he and Rea will be available on a full five days' rest this time through the rotation. But with the Crew eight days away from their next off day, what could we see from the rotation going forward? The Brewers could continue to use this rotation, where there will be four starters and a bullpen day. However, if any of the regular starters have a bad outing, the bullpen could be burned out before their spot in the rotation. It might be best to find a fifth regular for the time being. Murphy mentioned the possibility of Robert Gasser making his major-league debut. However, he is just returning from the minor-league injured list with a bone spur in his left elbow. If it happens, it won’t be until next week, as he pitched four solid innings for the Sounds Wednesday. Gasser did have his best fastball in that outing, though, suggesting that he might be out of the woods (for now) in terms of his arm trouble. Gasser is the highest-upside short-term answer. Back in spring training, Murphy hinted at the possibility of seeing Gasser in Milwaukee sooner rather than later. With Hall and Miley both on the injured list, the Brewers do lack a left-handed arm in the rotation. If he impresses at the major-league level, we might be seeing a lot more of Robert Gasser going forward. The big drawback with Gasser (beyond the fact that they need to see how he bounces back from that first outing for Nashville) is that he's not yet on the 40-man roster. Aaron Ashby is, and he made a start earlier this season, but it wasn’t the start the Brewers were hoping for. Ashby only got through 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs. That doesn’t exactly scream masterclass, but the Brewers have invested for multiple years in the former fourth-rounder, and Ashby will get another shot this year, one way or another. Given that Ashby is also struggling with the Nashville Sounds (9.28 ERA and 2.16 WHIP), though, the organization might prefer to call up another arm who's enjoyed more success. Although Janson Junk isn’t a lefthander, he has been a little more successful at the Triple-A level. Junk was one of the three arms acquired in the Hunter Renfroe trade back in November 2022. He did have a few appearances in 2023, but those weren’t entirely impressive. In 7 1/3 innings, Junk struck out five batters with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. In four outings this season for Nashville, Junk has a 4.70 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP and a .246 opponent batting average. It hasn't opened enough eyes to get him another shot in MLB, but he made a good impression on the team this spring and (again, being already on the 40-man roster) has a clear path to such an opportunity. What’s Available Elsewhere The Brewers had the injury bug during the season last year. What they ended up doing was adding Julio Teherán, who signed a minor-league deal with the Padres and opted out of the deal in early May. Teherán wasn’t a world-beater, but he was a good stand-in while the likes of Miley, Brandon Woodruff and others were recovering from injuries. There aren’t any great options available this spring, but they just need someone who can fill in and pitch here or there. While there are tweets out there that have suggested the return of Zack Greinke, perhaps a player like Noah Syndergaard makes the most sense. According to Sports Illustrated a few months ago, Syndergaard received multiple minor-league offers this offseason. If he's stayed in shape, perhaps the Brewers could offer him a major-league offer and give him a chance. The last time we saw Syndergaard pitch in the big leagues was with the Cleveland Guardians, after he was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer. The season was not kind to him, with a 2-6 record, a 6.50 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in 18 starts. But he isn’t that far removed from a season wherein he made 24 starts with a 3.94 ERA. The Brewers have been great at developing and revitalizing the careers of pitchers. Maybe they can get themselves a Norse God in Syndergaard. If they still prefer a southpaw, Matthew Boyd is still available. Like Thor, Boyd had quite the inauspicious 2023 season. In 15 starts, he had a 5-5 record with a 5.45 ERA, 9.3 strikeouts per nine, and a 1.32 WHIP. Back in 2019, though, Boyd struck out 238 batters and maintained a 1.23 WHIP. He does have a bit of a home run problem, allowing a 162-game average of 31 home runs. His career 4.94 ERA doesn’t inspire confidence, either. But the Brewers don’t need to find an ace. They just need someone to get by while their best guys heal up for the eventual home stretch. Conclusion While Miley, Hall, and Junis all are on the injured list, the Crew are going to have to find someone to fill the void. They have a bunch of options available to them. The system they have now with Wilson and Myers works, in a limited way. But with Miley's looking like a long (or even permanent) absence, they might need to come up with another solution. While all signs point to an eventual Gasser call-up, you can’t rule out other in-house moves, or even free agency. Do you like how the Brewers rotation stands right now? Should the Brewers call up Gasser? What other pitchers can make starts for the Brewers? Let us know in the comments.

Opening Day is now three days away and while the Brewers have a few days to make it official, it seems like all, but one spot is set for the 26-man roster. According to Brewers beat writer Curt Hogg, Joey Ortiz, Bryan Hudson, Blake Perkins and Andruw Monasterio have all been informed they have made the roster. However, there was one roster concern that has risen over the weekend. While there are no reports as to how this injury occurred, Garrett Mitchell has been looking to make his second opening day roster. Coming off a shoulder injury, Mitchell was looking to bounce back and make an impact this spring. In 14 games and 52 plate appearances, Mitchell is hitting a .319/.385/.426 with a home run and eight RBI. He was projected to play regular time in centerfield and a potential platoon spot with Perkins. He was a shoe in to make the roster barring any injury but would’ve kept another hot bat off the roster. Ever since Gary Sanchez signed with the Brewers, Eric Haase was on the outs. Haase signed a one-year deal with the team back in December where he’d make one million should he make the roster. Now on the bubble he knew he had to do whatever it takes to be there at the start of the season. While it has been stated the team wasn’t interested in keeping three catchers on the roster, Haase is making it a little difficult to cut him. In 42 plate appearances he has hit a .378 batting average with a 1.236 OPS and is tied for the second most home runs this spring (four) only behind Willy Adames who has six. The Crew still have a few days to lock in their roster to start the season. If Mitchell is good to go, Haase will more than likely be cut from the roster. Because he doesn’t have any more minor league options, the team will have to remove him from the 40-man roster and will have to be placed on revocable waivers where he could be claimed by any team. Judging by his spring training stats, there might be some interest in the player. The Brewers could start Mitchell on the 10-day injured list giving Haase a chance to translate his spring training stats to the regular season. Consider it to be his last stand. He does have limited experience in the outfield so he could slide into a backup role for both catcher and the outfield. Assuming Mitchell is good to go and barring any other injuries, here what the projected roster looks like for the Brewers: Catcher: William Contreras, Gary Sanchez First Base: Rhys Hoskins, Jake Bauers Second Base: Brice Turang Third Base: Andruw Monasterio, Joey Ortiz Shortstop: Willy Adames Outfield: Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Blake Perkins Starting Rotation: Freddy Peralta, Jakob Junis, Colin Rea, DL Hall, Joe Ross Bullpen: Bryan Hudson, Trevor Megill, Hoby Milner, Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero, Abner Uribe, Bryse Wilson, Thyago Vieira IL: Wade Miley, Devin Williams, Taylor Clarke Other than Haase, no other player will need to be placed on revocable waivers. This will leave the 40-man roster at 39. This will give the flexibility to add a player like Robert Gasser or Tyler Black to the roster without having to designate a player for assignment. The projected roster also suggests right-handed pitcher J.B. Bukauskas will start this season on the Triple A roster. Bukauskas was rewarded with an additional minor league option this offseason giving the organization flexibility to send him down without having to place him on waivers. Over the spring, he struck out 16 batters in 9 2/3 innings, a 3.72 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Wade Miley is expected to go on rehab assignments at the start of the season and could be ready by mid-April. When that time comes, the Brewers will have another decision to make. Until then, these Brewers will be ready for March 28 when they take on the New York Mets. What do you think of the Brewers roster? Would you like to see Eric Haase on the opening day roster? Will Garrett Mitchell start the season on the IL? Let us know.

We are now less than a week away from Opening Day, and the Brewers are still figuring out their roster. Besides the All-Stars on the roster, we already know Jackson Chourio has made the roster, Devin Williams and Wade Miley will begin the season on the IL, and Sal Frelick could be a regular at third base. However, before the Brewers split-squad games Thursday afternoon, Brewers beat writer Curt Hogg reported a few roster cuts. Christian Arroyo signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. He would compete with Andruw Monasterio, Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, Vinny Capra, and Oliver Dunn for spots on the roster. Entering today, Arroyo hit .182/.217/.227 with four hits and three RBI. With Pat Murphy confirming Turang as the starting second baseman and Frelick and Monasterio logging more time at third base, it seemed like a matter of time before the Brewers reassigned Arroyo to the minors. He does have an opt-out clause in his contract, so there is a chance we may have seen the last of Arroyo in a Brewers uniform. With this move, the Brewers infield seems all but set. As for Joey Weimer, he was one of the six outfielders remaining in major league camp. Christian Yelich was guaranteed a spot, and Chourio was already confirmed to be on the team. This leaves Weimer, Frelick, Blake Perkins, and Garrett Mitchell to battle for the remaining spots on the roster. In 50 plate appearances, Weimer was hitting a .200/.280/.200 stat line striking out 15 times, more than the number of bases he has collected (9). Yelich, Chourio, and Frelick round out the outfield. Mitchell will have plenty of opportunities when Frelick plays the hot corner. Whether the Brewers decide to keep Perkins as a fifth outfielder remains to be seen. Ashby has only had two spring training game outings but has thrown simulated games throughout the spring. Recent reports suggest he was consistently touching 92-94 MPH. The Brewers have spoken highly of Ashby this offseason, hoping to get him starts this season. He will continue his recovery from his shoulder injury in Nashville. The rotation is looking clearer by the day. Peralta and Rea are the only confirmed starters. Murphy has said he’d prefer to see Joe Ross as a starter, but it hasn’t been confirmed that he’s made the roster. DL Hall, Jakob Junis, and Bryse Wilson are still fighting for spots in the rotation but are expected to take a good chunk of innings. With Weimer and Ashby optioned To Triple-A and Arroyo reassigned, there are now 31 players remaining in major league camp. This includes Miley and Williams, who are both expected to start on the injured list at the beginning of the season. Should that be the case, the Brewers must cut three more players before the regular season begins next Thursday. The Crew must decide on two pitchers since MLB allows a maximum of 13 on the 26-man roster. As for the final position player, Eric Haase is the biggest decision the club still has to make. Will the team carry three catchers? Could the Brewers send down Perkins and use Haase and Jake Bauers as emergency outfielders? Stay tuned.

Over the winter, Devin Williams signed a two-year deal with the Brewers, not only avoiding arbitration for this offseason but eliminating the annoyance of wondering about it next offseason. Williams looked locked in as the team's dominant closer. Now, that's up in the air again. As reported by Jeff Passan, Williams is going to be out for the first half of the season while he nurses his back injury. Thus, the Brewers need a stopgap closer. What options do they have? Who can take on that role? Here are a few pitchers who can take over the closer gig for the next three months--and perhaps longer. The Frontrunners Joel Payamps was used as the primary setup man for Williams last season. After acquiring him in the William Contreras trade, the Crew put Payamps to work as a flyer with no minor-league options remaining. Despite the rough 2023 spring, the Brewers elected to keep him on the roster, and boy did he reward that faith. He had (by far) the best season in his career, with a 7-5 record, a 2.55 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and 27 holds. He also collected the first three saves of his career. By all rights, the closer role should be given to him. However, there might be uncertainty in maintaining the same success he had last season. Prior to joining the Brewers, he never had an ERA below 3.00. In multiple ways, he seems like a candidate for significant regression. Payamps's off-speed pitches have been successful throughout his career. That is especially the case with his slider, as 37 of his 77 strikeouts were on that pitch last year. However, he doesn’t get a ton of players to chase his pitches outside the zone (25.4%). Payamps is probably the front-runner for the job. But with no minor league options left, too many mistakes could lead to his Brewers tenure coming to an end. Right now, it doesn’t seem like he’s showing signs of regression. They just might have to go with the hot hand on this one. We know it will be a matter of time before the team will lose Williams in free agency. Perhaps it may be time to see what the future can look like with 23-year-old righthander Abner Uribe. In his stint in the big leagues last summer, Uribe struck out 39 batters, with a 1.76 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He kept an opponent batting average at .154, and didn't allow a single home run in 32 games. His four-seam fastball was touching speeds up to 103 MPH, and that’s not even his best pitch. His most effective pitch was his slider, which had a 58.1% whiff rate and held batters to a .080 batting average. The most common pitch he throws is his sinker, which still averaged 99.4 MPH with heavy action. With just half a year of big-league experience, he now competes to make one of the limited bullpen spots. The Brewers can continue to ride the high by inserting him in high-pressure roles such as setup man or closer. While he did give up four runs in his most recent spring training outing, skipper Pat Murphy is confident in the young arm. The thing is, he is still young, and the Brewers might want to ease him into these roles. Uribe is still projected to be the closer of the future, but even Josh Hader was eased into the closer spot. Other Options There were a ton of arms who rose to the occasion for the Brewers last season. Before being traded to Milwaukee, Bryse Wilson had a career ERA north of 5.00. He was an occasional starter for teams like the Braves and the Pirates in years past. The Brewers utilized him as a middle relief arm. He had a 2.58 ERA in 53 appearances with a 1.07 WHIP and three saves. His opponents' stat line was .211/.271/.377, and he gave up a hard-hit percentage below the league average. Like Payamps, however, he doesn’t have any minor-league options left and cannot afford to struggle. He was rocked in his most recent outing, allowing nine runs in just three innings of work. Other players who shined in certain situations include Trevor Megill. After stints with the Cubs and the Twins, the Brewers acquired Megill in a trade in April. He was called up for the first time in May. His stats don’t exactly look as impressive as others mentioned above, but he still recorded the best numbers of his career last season, and late in the season, he was overpowering. The Brewers could use a pitcher with Megill's strikeout stuff, especially in the late innings. He hasn’t had a ton of chances to close out a game, but he did record four holds last season. Maybe we can see an increased role for the hard-throwing righthander. Then again, he does have a minor-league option left. It might be time to start suggesting names that have had a great spring thus far. Bryan Hudson, whom the Brewers acquired from the Dodgers, has a 1.08 ERA in 8 1/3 innings and stuck out 14 batters. The Brewers only have Hoby Milner as a reliable left-handed reliever, so maybe Hudson can slide in as a potential arm out of the pen. Then there’s Elvis Peguero, who has a 1.00 WHIP and a .167 opponent batting average in five innings of work this spring. As one of the arms acquired in the Hunter Renfroe trade with the Angels, Peguero was used as a seventh-inning arm and an occasional setup man, depending on availability. His 21 holds and one save last season do sound like a potential pitcher to get some chances to finish the game. It's fair to say the Brewers have options. The Big Question: The Next Man Up While one door slams shut, another one opens. Since Williams will start on the injured list (probably the 60-day version), there will be an opening on the 40-man roster. So, who could we see added to the 40-man roster? While he is trying to compete as a starter, Robert Gasser could be added to the 40-man and join the bullpen as a long relief option. Even ace starters like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta had stints in the bullpen before becoming reliable arms in the rotation. Gasser spent the entire 2023 season in Nashville and may be ready to spend time in Milwaukee. His 3.00 ERA and six strikeouts in six innings this spring sounds promising. Don’t expect Gasser to close games. Rather, his presence could give others the chance to succeed in the closer role. If we see Wilson, Hudson, or Peguero try to close games, the team will need another arm to fill the void they left behind. It could lead to a domino effect for the bullpen. Perhaps Williams’s injury could’ve also saved a player’s job. Murphy suggested Jakob Junis could be used in multiple roles. The coach also suggested he’d prefer Joe Ross in the rotation. Should that end up being the case, it could come down between Junis or even DL Hall for the final spot in the rotation. The other one will probably take a spot in the pen. If Payamps becomes the closer, would Uribe become the setup man? Does Peguero stick with his seventh-inning slot? No matter how they move around the bullpen, each and every one of the players that make the roster will need to step up. We are just going to have to wait and see. Who would you like to see close games? Do you think Uribe is the successor to Williams? Who else could you see get opportunities in the bullpen? Will the Brewers perform well without the Airbender? Let us know.