Milwaukee Brewers: Is it time to add an ace to the pitching staff?

The first place Milwaukee Brewers have shown many promising signs during their hot start. The offense has found itself. The bullpen is the best in all of baseball. And the supposed weak link heading into 2018, the starting rotation, has been better than expected.

With the 2018 July trade deadline a month away, it’s always fun to speculate who the Milwaukee Brewers might have their eyes on.

Another starting pitcher?

If the Milwaukee Brewers continue their current success into the later days of July, they could make yet another David Stearns splash. The first area of need they should upgrade would have to be the starting five.

So far in 2018, the starting pitching has held its own. However, we have seen some regression from last season. Chase Anderson had a slow start to his campaign and is also working back from an injury. He has posted a 4.42 ERA so far. Anderson posted a 5.61 ERA last May alone. It’s already up to a 7.08 this May. Anderson has shown signs of coming back too form recently, but if the Brewers want to make a deep playoff run they will need someone else to compliment the top of the rotation.

Jhoulys Chacin has been a surprising number two caliber starter in 2018.  After leading the National League in home ERA in 2017, Chacin has left the friendly confines of Petco Park. He posted a Miller Park ERA of 2.79. In 2018, he owns an ERA of 3.69. The rest of the starting rotation has done their jobs. Zach Davies, Junior Guerra, and Brent Suter own ERAs of 4.74, 2.98 and 4.63, respectively.

Of course, the Milwaukee Brewers will need a little better production from the bottom half of their rotation if they want to make a deep playoff run.

The expected return of Jimmy Nelson is still a huge question mark.

Why the Brewers should get Chris Archer

Maybe it is time the Milwaukee Brewers go back to the 2018 off-season rumor mill and talk to Tampa Bay about there prized trade piece. When the Brewers were first connected to the Tampa Bay ace, the price was very steep. Milwaukee didn’t want to pull the trigger.

Now that they sit here in May and have seen what some possible targets have done thus far, Archer has been less than impressive. In 2018 he has posted a 4.29 ERA and owns a 3-3 record.  He has struck out 70 batters in 71 innings.

With his regression, we could strike gold with Archer the same way the Astros did with Justin Verlander in 2017.  Before joining Houston, Verlander had an ERAof 4.73 before the All-Star break. He posted a 1.95 ERA after the All-Star break and lead the Astros to the post season.  A change of scenery and moving to a contender can do wonders for some players.

What would a Chris Archer deal look like?

Brewers get: Chris Archer

Rays get: Corey Ray, Luis Ortiz

Next: Is Jesus Aguilar The Poor Mans David Ortiz?

If the Milwaukee Brewers truly want to go for it in 2018 and beyond the acquisition of a controllable and high reward starting pitcher would be a great start.