Milwaukee Brewers: Which teams make the most sense as trade partners?

The Milwaukee Brewers have dealt away Domingo Santana, cut Jonathan Schoop, and allowed Stephen Vogt to walk. However there is still more work that needs to be completed on the 2019 roster. Which teams make the most sense as trade partners?

The Milwaukee Brewers have about $123 million in payroll commitments for the 2019 season. They can fit an affordable second baseman into their roster, but they can’t take on a larger contract unless they trade Chase Anderson, Zach Davies, Eric Thames, or a combination of the trio. All three have reasonable deals, but are a luxury for the Brewers, not necessities. In order to afford an upgrade to their rotation, or an expensive option at second base, they’ll have to clear a few salaries.

Ryan Braun would have been a logical name to include in year’s past. However, he has 10-and-5 rights and has a full no-trade clause. He’s probably not waving it, and unlikely to move on. The Milwaukee Brewers will likely have Braun on the roster until his contract finally ends after the 2020 season.

We’ve already covered the Philadelphia Phillies, so they won’t show up on our list, but they could make a fantastic trade partner for the Milwaukee Brewers. We also have four other teams that are possibilities when it comes to potential deals. Whether that means dealing for an ace, or flipping extra starting pitchers, we have a list of teams that make the most sense a potential partner in a deal with the Brewers before Spring Training starts.