2 reasons the Brewers should be buyers at this year's deadline, 2 reasons they should be sellers

Year two of the Milwaukee Brewers under Pat Murphy has not gone as smoothly as the first. Last year, when the team was written off by almost everyone in the media during the pre-season, they ended up essentially coasting to a division championship by spending 180 days in first place, never spending a day under .500, and never having a losing streak greater than three games.

This year, Murphy's Brewers dropped their first four games of the year, were last seen in first place on April 11, and have spent just 10 days overall leading the division. Similar to 2024, injuries to the pitching staff and Garrett Mitchell have forced Milwaukee to get creative, but now that they are getting healthy, the team is starting to see results, evidenced by winning nine of their last 10 games.

With the ups and downs, many have gone back and forth as to whether or not the 2025 Brewers are a playoff-caliber team. This determination ultimately has to be somewhat made by the July 31 trade deadline, which is when teams declare if they are pushing for a spot in the postseason or if they are building for the future. Here are two reasons why the Brewers should buy at the deadline and two reasons why they should be sellers.

Two reasons why the Brewers should be buyers

Murphy's Brewers found success last year by using a team approach on the mound, putting the ball in play offensively while using their speed to apply pressure, and by playing solid defense. This year, they have struggled in all three of those areas at times, but lately, they have gotten back to playing their brand of baseball.

1. The team is hitting its stride in all facets of the game

The pitching staff has been buoyed by strong performances from some unexpected sources. Chad Patrick has far surpassed expectations, while DL Hall and Aaron Ashby have looked sharp since returning from injury — particularly Hall, who, alongside Quinn Priester, has formed a formidable piggyback duo. With Brandon Woodruff’s return still outstanding, and one of the most talented starting pitching staffs in all of Triple-A, there's no reason to expect that the big-league staff's recent performance is a fluke. If anything, their success has shown that the team really did just need to get healthy, as so many continued to say during their early-season struggles.

Offensively, the Brewers continue to create opportunities with their speed, currently tied for first in the league in stolen bases, a clear sign that their aggressive baserunning remains a key weapon. Christian Yelich is not only starting to look like himself again, he's looking like his 2018 MVP-winning self. Paired with Rhys Hoskins, who is having an impressive bounce-back season, the two form a feared duo in the middle of the Brewers' lineup.

On the defensive side, things have tightened up as well. Jackson Chourio, who initially struggled with a few costly errors after stepping in for the injured Garrett Mitchell, has begun to settle in and show noticeable improvement in center field, helping to stabilize the outfield defense. Meanwhile, the trio of Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, and Caleb Durbin is starting to show their true defensive potential on the infield dirt.

2. The division and a Wild Card position are still very much in reach

Aside from getting back to excelling at their strengths, another reason the Brewers should be buyers this year is because multiple ways of reaching the playoffs are still within reach. The Chicago Cubs lead in the division is just five games and the Brewers still have 10 matchups with their division foe. The St. Louis Cardinals have sharply plateaued after their nine-game winning streak and face a similarly difficult decision at the trade deadline with coveted pieces like Nolan Arenado, Ryan Helsley, and perhaps even Sonny Gray.

But winning the division is not the Brewers’ only path to the postseason, despite it being their preferred method in the past two seasons; Milwaukee is just one game out of a Wild Card spot. With more than half the season left to play, a few targeted additions could be the difference between simply staying competitive and making a legitimate playoff push.

The Wild Card race (and sometimes the division) often comes down to a matter of one or two wins, just the boost that the Brewers could add by acquiring a solid infield bat at next month's trade deadline. With a stacked farm system and a dedication to sustained success, the Brewers could absolutely take the buyers’ route when trade talks begin.

Two reasons why the Brewers should be sellers

1. They have plenty of trade assets that could net a huge return

As a small market team, Milwaukee generally tends to replenish their farm system by trading away players before they reach free agency. Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, and Devin Williams are all prime examples of this. One player that already has been floated as a trade target this year is Freddy Peralta; if he is available he would be the most coveted starting pitcher on the market this summer, thus giving the Brewers a mega haul in return.

Building on that point, the Brewers have two valuable veterans who could draw significant interest from contending teams. Starter Aaron Civale, with his experience and ability to eat innings, could bolster any rotation, while Rhys Hoskins’ power bat and postseason experience would be a major asset to a lineup in need of run production. Civale will be a free agent at season's end while Hoskins has a mutual option for 2026, but realistically both could be ideal rental targets for teams looking to make a serious October push.

2. Can they compete with the best of the National League?

Aside from possessing valuable trade assets, another compelling reason Milwaukee should consider selling at the deadline is the tough reality of competing with the star power that dominates the National League.

With juggernauts like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets boasting stacked rosters, the Cubs going all-in by acquiring Kyle Tucker, and perennial contenders like the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres in the mix, the Brewers’ scrappy, team-first approach may eventually fall short against lineups loaded with elite talent. Rather than chasing a long shot, Milwaukee could take the smarter path by building for a future where they can match that firepower more sustainably.

It will be interesting to see what way the Brewers go at this year's trade deadline. There's a good chance that they dip their toes in both the buyers and sellers markets as trading away one starter (as long as it's not Freddy Peralta) wouldn't prevent the team from competing for a playoff spot, especially if they concurrently add a consistent infield bat to their lineup.