Milwaukee Brewers: Acquire Curtis Granderson

The Milwaukee Brewers weren’t done after acquiring Gio Gonzalez and Xavier Cedeno before the August trade deadline. They also added outfielder Curtis Granderson.

Not satisfied after boosting their bullpen and adding depth to their starting rotation, the Milwaukee Brewers also traded prospect Demi Orimoloye for Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Curtis Granderson.

How is Granderson playing this year?

In his age-37 season, Granderson can still hit. Granderson owns a .243/.340/.429 slash line in 103 games for the Blue Jays this year. He’s been deployed almost exclusively against right-handed pitching and has a .250/.345/.443 slash line against righties.

What role will Granderson play for the Brewers?

Granderson was added to the Milwaukee Brewers to help in one area – to mash righties in the late innings. He’s unlikely to start in the outfield, but he will feature as a pinch-hitter against right-handers. Granderson could also DH in the World Series…just sayin’.

What about Granderson’s contract?

The Milwaukee Brewers are on the hook for the remaining value of Granderson’s $5 million contract. He’s a free agent at the end of the season.

Was Orimoloye a real prospect?

Yes. Orimoloye was a fourth round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015, so he was a real prospect. He was promoted to High-A at mid-season, and has played 64 games there. Orimoloye posted a .236/.303/.368 slash line with the Carolina Mudcats. He carries a 55-rating for speed, and a 60-rating for raw power.

The Milwaukee Brewers gave up a toolsy prospect in exchange for a pinch-hitter against righties only. Whether this trade ends up being worth it for the Brewers depends on how far the get in the playoffs. If they secure a playoff spot and advance to the NLCS…or deeper, the trade will have made sense. However, if they miss out on the playoffs or get bounced in the Wild Card game, this could end up as an ugly deal if Orimoloye develops.