Brewers: 2020 Trade Deadline Targets The Brewers Should Consider

Believe it or not, the 2020 MLB Trade Deadline is less than two weeks away. Who should the Brewers target in trade talks?

It seems kind of ridiculous to be talking about the trade deadline and who the Brewers should acquire when we’re only 20 games into the season. In a normal year, 20 games would get us to near the end of April, and that’s way too early for thoughts about a July trade deadline.

But in the strange 2020 season, this is exactly the situation we find ourselves in.

One week, the Brewers looked like sellers, and the next week the Brewers look like buyers. It’s too early to completely judge the performances of players like Omar Narvaez and Justin Smoak, but with less than two weeks to the deadline, it’s the Crew’s only chance to improve their roster heading into September and the postseason.

So how does one balance the desire to improve the roster with the knowledge that the rest of the season is not fully guaranteed and you’re getting a player for a shorter number of games than usual? That’s the task of Brewers GM David Stearns and his staff.

Keep in mind, teams can only trade players that are currently in their 60 man player pools, so the depth of prospects is limited. Throwing in a random reliever from High-A to get a deal done won’t be possible unless that reliever is already on the 60 man.

Stearns has commented that he’d be willing to make some moves at the deadline and give up some prospects to do so. It’s unknown exactly how far he’d be willing to go or how far other GMs are willing to go in trades this year. It’s an unprecedented time for all of them. The amount of blockbusters will probably be down, but deals will still be made.

The question is, do the Brewers really need to grab extra bench guys in smaller deals? It seems like the need is more for an impact player that plays just about everyday.

The Brewers have a very deep roster with some guys that have been underperforming. Do they simply try to ride it out with the guys they have or bring in someone else to help? If they look for help, here are a few possible targets.

OF Jackie Bradley, Jr., Red Sox

After a scandal-ridden offseason with manager Alex Cora, the Red Sox are now being managed by former Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke and it hasn’t taken long for the wheels to fall off for Boston. They’re currently 6-17 with a payroll that’s in horrible shape and a roster that’s full of holes now.

They traded away superstar OF Mookie Betts in the winter because he was an upcoming free agent and they knew they couldn’t afford him. This August, perhaps they’ll trade away another star outfielder.

Jackie Bradley, Jr. was due to become a free agent at the same time as Betts, at the end of the 2020 season. Although Betts has now signed a massive extension with the Dodgers, Bradley is still scheduled to hit the open market this winter.

Since Lorenzo Cain opted out, the Brewers outfield depth has been put to the test. Ben Gamel isn’t producing like he was at the start of the season, and Ryan Braun isn’t able to play everyday. Adding Bradley would solve some of these problems.

Bradley is a Gold Glove defender in centerfield, just like Lorenzo Cain, and he would be an excellent stopgap solution while Cain is home with his family. He’s only under contract for this year, so the Brewers could pay a very small price tag for him and simply let him go in free agency this offseason.

His full season salary this year is $11MM, which means his prorated salary is at just over $4MM, and with the salary advance already paid out by MLB, he’s only getting $3,787,574 in game checks this year. Should the Brewers get him on the day of the trade deadline, they would only be on the hook for paying him for games in the month of September, which would come out to just over $1.6MM in salary added to the Brewers books.

Granted, this is a year where the Brewers are losing money no matter what, and it’s easy to say what’s another $1.6MM added to that when you aren’t the one paying for it. Still, adding Bradley to the roster at a fraction of his normal price, even just for a month, would be a big boost for the Brewers on the field.

Bradley has some power, although he doesn’t hit for a super high average and has been just under league-average when it comes to OPS+ the last few years. He won’t fully replace Lorenzo Cain’s offensive production, but he can bring the same kind of defensive skills while bringing in at least adequate offensive production that can put Avisail Garcia back in right field with Bradley in center.

OF Kevin Pillar, Red Sox

Yes, another outfielder from Boston makes this list. If the cost of acquiring Jackie Bradley, Jr. is too expensive for Stearns’ taste, whether with salary or prospect capital, then perhaps he could turn to Kevin Pillar.

Pillar has been a stud defensive centerfielder for quite a while now, and although he’s spent most of his career in Toronto, he’s now over in Boston.

He also brings a similar offensive pedigree to Bradley, Jr. but he hits for a higher average and walks less often. He has solid power, good speed, and a strong track record of consistent performance.

By going after Pillar, the Brewers would have to take on less money in salary, for a similar type of player, and the prospect capital it would cost to acquire him would be lower. Pillar was only signed to a $4.25MM deal for 2020, so if the Brewers were to acquire him mid-season, they would owe him less than a million dollars total.

This year, Pillar is having one of his best offensive campaigns to date. He’s hitting .296/.342/.479 with five doubles, a triple, and two home runs. His 118 OPS+ is the highest of his career, although it’s still early in the season. Still, a player hitting that well would be a welcome addition to the Brewers lineup which needs as many hitters in a groove at the plate as possible right now.

Pillar could man centerfield while Garcia moves back to right and Gamel returns to a part-time role. Ryan Braun can spend most of his time at DH or put back in the originally planned platoons at first base or right field.