Milwaukee Brewers: Will they make a deal before Sept 1st?

The Milwaukee Brewers have slid to third place in the division. They’re on the outside looking in for the NL Wild Card. Can they pull off a deal to give the team a boost?

There are still two days left before the Milwaukee Brewers officially can’t make any more deals. A few names have slipped through waivers and can get traded, including several starting pitchers. Is there any chance the Brewers manage to add a starting pitcher before September 1st?

Which starting pitchers are available on the trade market?

It’s all the same guys. Matt Harvey, Gio Gonzalez, Francisco Liriano, Alex Cobb, Marco Estrada, and Andrew Cashner are among the most high profile names who have made it through waivers. While they are all capable of holding down a spot in a Major League starting rotation, they aren’t difference makers.

Aren’t they better than Junior Guerra?

At this point? Just about everyone is better than Junior Guerra, so yes, but are they better than Zach Davies? After his performance on Monday, Davies looks like he’s fully recovered from his injuries. He should return to the rotation soon, and Guerra will head to the bullpen to straighten himself out.

What are the odds of a deal before September 1st?

Well, we know that Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns was in on Harvey, but couldn’t agree on a deal with the Reds. It’s clear that Stearns is looking, but it’s likely that he won’t like what he finds. Any pitcher he adds isn’t a clear upgrade over what’s already in the rotation, and the odds of a new starter coming in now are low.

The Milwaukee Brewers needed to find an ace before the season, not during it. The team was clearly banking on Jimmy Nelson returning in 2018, and Brandon Woodruff stepping up. Neither of those scenarios occurred, and the Brewers are in a bind with a mediocre starting rotation. The only reinforcements likely to arrive in Milwaukee is Davies, and that doesn’t look like enough to earn a division title or Wild Card spot.