The Milwaukee Brewers currently sit atop the NL Central, but their standing is far from certain. Despite being a -165 favorite to win their division, the Cincinnati Reds are right on the Brewers’ tail, sitting only 1.5 games back in a back-and-forth race. If Cincinnati does catch Milwaukee again, the Brewers will find themselves in a close NL Wild Card hunt. Here is what Milwaukee needs to do to solidify its playoff chances ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
For more from our trade deadline series: Philadelphia Phillies | Los Angeles Angels | New York Yankees | Baltimore Orioles | Atlanta Braves | Texas Rangers
The Brew Crew has been defined by its starting rotation in recent years, which is no different in 2023. Say what you want about their lousy offensive output; they haven’t needed it. Corbin Burnes leads the way, coming off his best performance of the season, where he went eight scoreless innings, accumulating ten strikeouts. Wade Miley, Freddy Peralta, and Adrian Houser have rounded out a reliable rotation.
Their bullpen has been where they’ve dominated. Devin Williams and Joel Payampas have been elite, each garnering a sub-2.00 ERA. Hoby Milner, Bryse Wilson, and Elvis Peguero all have sub-3.00 ERAs, giving Milwaukee an abundance of excellent bullpen arms. With one of the best bullpens in baseball, if the starter on any given night gives the bullpen a chance, whoever the Brewers call upon can shut it down.
Can the Reds Catch the Brewers in the NL Central Race?
Offensively, minus Christian Yelich at the top of the order, the Brewers don’t have much. William Contreras and Owen Miller have been solid, but those two being the Brewers’ next-best options at the plate doesn’t bode well if their pitching starts to struggle. Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez, Brian Anderson, Joey Wiemer, and Brice Turang have been mainstays for the Brewers, each appearing in at least 70 games this season. However, Brian Anderson has the best batting average of just .229 of that group and is the only one with an OBP over .300, which isn’t even saying much.
The VerdictCould the Brewers use another starter for added depth? Maybe. Could the Brewers use another bullpen weapon? In a perfect world. Can the Brewers compete in the playoffs with an offense that ranks in the bottom ten in nearly all offensive metrics? No chance.
Can the Reds Catch the Brewers in the NL Central Race?
Addressing the offense must be Milwaukee’s primary and only concern at the deadline. With sure things only at left field and second base, the Brewers could use impact bats. I’d look for them to target Lane Thomas from Washington, who wouldn’t require the Brewers to sell the farm while providing them with consistent production alongside Yelich. Additionally, an impact bat in the infield could go a long way.
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