Milwaukee Brewers Trade Yovani Gallardo to Texas Rangers

Hey Brewers’ fans…here’s something to chew on while you’re trying to digest that Packers choke job…

According to reports, the Milwaukee Brewers have traded Yovani Gallardo to the the Texas Rangers. Gallardo, 28, was drafted by Milwaukee in the second round in 2004, and has been with the Brewers since 2007. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in strikeouts. Gallardo is a free agent following this season, and the Brewers had reportedly been open to moving him earlier in the offseason.

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After a tough 2013 in which he struggled with falling velocity, Gallardo reinvented himself in 2014, posting a career low 3.51 ERA in 192.1 innings with a career high 50.8% ground ball rate, and cutting his walk rate to a career best 2.5 BB/9. He has a long track record of durability, not missing any significant time since a torn ACL in 2008. He is among Brewers all-time leaders with 89 wins, 214 games, 1289.1 innings pitched, 3.69 career ERA. The Rangers had reportedly been looking to add a starting pitcher, and Gallardo will slot right into the Texas rotation.

There has been no word on who the Brewers may have obtained from Texas in exchange for Gallardo’s services, other than this tweet saying Jurickson Profar will not be involved. Brewers fans can hope that maybe somehow GM Doug Melvin was able to swing Joey Gallo in the trade, but this seems unlikely for a pitcher of Gallardo’s caliber. The Brewers are very thin at third base down on the farm, and Gallo (who hit 42 home runs between A+ and AA ball last year) would no doubt become Milwaukee’s third baseman of the future. Unless the Brewers included another player, however, I believe receiving Gallo in the return is a long shot.

Without Gallardo, the Brewers rotation currently sets up as Kyle Lohse, Wily Peralta, Matt Garza, Mike Fiers, and Jimmy Nelson. Beyond those five, however, the Brewers have only Tyler Thornburg, Johnny Hellweg, and Will Smith as players on the 40 man roster with MLB starting experience, with Hellweg and Thornburg coming off injuries and Smith likely ticketed for the bullpen. Yovani’s trade opens up another $13 mil in payroll space, allowing the Brewers to be more flexible in pursuing free agent relief, which Milwaukee has reportedly been in the market for. Another possibility could be the pursuit of James Shields or Max Scherzer, as the Brewers are only on the hook for about $70 mil in salary guarantees for 2016. Shields would be the more likely fit, as he will take a much smaller overall financial commitment than Scherzer is expected to garner. Gallardo is a native of Fort Worth, TX, and could be open to signing a long-term extension with the Rangers.

33 days until pitchers and catchers report. Keep your collective heads’, Wisconsin.