Brewers: Ranking The Crew's Needs At The 2021 Trade Deadline

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Oct 4, 2018; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell (right) talks with general manager David Stearns before game one of the 2018 NLDS playoff baseball series against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

The Milwaukee Brewers enter the 2021 Trade Deadline as serious buyers. They currently have a big cushion in the NL Central but will need to supplement their roster to become a true World Series threat.

Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns has been aggressive all season in making trades to improve the team. He traded Orlando Arcia in the first week of the regular season, and then brought in Willy Adames to spark the team, then traded for Rowdy Tellez.

Stearns has made these trades far before typical in-season trades happen. Impactful trades in May between two contenders are very rare to see.

So far this July, Stearns has made just one trade, the Tellez deal, which helped out first base a little bit. Daniel Vogelbach is hurt and the Brewers needed some backup at first base with Keston Hiura still struggling to get in a good groove. However, Tellez doesn’t necessarily provide a long-term solution for the rest of the season.

Luis Urias has done extremely well at third base, both offensively and defensively, and has essentially removed the position from being an area of concern going into the deadline.

Here are the Milwaukee Brewers team needs to address at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, ranked.

Brewers Trade Deadline Need #3. A veteran bench bat

The Brewers roster of position players does have plenty of veterans on it, but the bench is rather light on that. Travis Shaw is a veteran that can provide some thump off the bench or in the starting lineup, depending on what role is there for him when he returns from his dislocated shoulder in August.

But Shaw’s bat hasn’t been consistent even when he was healthy, and outside of that the bench is comprised of: Keston Hiura, Rowdy Tellez, Manny Pina, Tyrone Taylor, and Daniel Vogelbach (when healthy). That looks like a group that could use a consistent veteran in it.

Think of a Curtis Granderson/Jerry Hairston Jr. type role that those players filled for the Brewers in the 2018 and 2011 seasons respectively.

Adding another veteran leader who can come up with some clutch hits off the bench to this roster is not a bad idea. The Brewers bench right now is filled with guys who have either been struggling most of the season, injured, or on the shuttle back and forth with Triple-A. Getting a veteran bat to come off the bench who has experience in the postseason and can consistently come up big when called upon would be a nice addition.

May 24, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Keston Hiura (18) during the game against the San Diego Padres at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Brewers Trade Deadline Need #2: A Solution At First Base

The Milwaukee Brewers need an answer at first base. An everyday, this is the guy to pencil in solution would make this Brewers team look so much better.

First base has been a revolving door not only this year, but for the past decade essentially. Ever since Prince Fielder left, the Brewers have been searching for a long-term solution. Every year they try someone new, but they don’t stick around long.

But the difference between this year and previous years is that the Brewers have been able to find one guy who can hold down the position for the entire season. In 2021, they have had a revolving door inside of their revolving door.

Keston Hiura was Plan A at first base with Daniel Vogelbach as Plan B, and the expected big bat off the bench. But Hiura has been awful all season, posting a .167 average and .570 OPS to this point. He’s been slightly better of late, but not enough to feel confident he can adequately produce in the lineup down the stretch.

The Brewers have Vogelbach on the IL with a hamstring strain, and he was solid before the injury, but also not good enough to prevent another acquisition. They acquired Tellez shortly after Vogelbach’s injury to fill the void while Hiura figured things out, but he also hasn’t impressed, being just 1-for-12 since coming over.

At this point, their best option at first base might be Jace Peterson, who has been in a hot stretch at the plate while filling in for Kolten Wong and can spend time at first base to keep his bat in the lineup. But can they depend on Peterson to outperform his career numbers and keep this up the rest of the year?

When Travis Shaw comes back, he can play first base since Urias has done so well at third. But he wasn’t hitting well before and might be best served in a platoon or in that veteran bench role.

Despite a number of internal options, none appear very great. The Brewers need to find a consistent solution for the final two months of the regular season and for the postseason at a very important offensive position.

They’re giving their internal options opportunities to prove they can handle it, but unless someone takes hold of that spot, and it doesn’t look like any will, the Brewers need to acquire a full time solution for the rest of the season.

Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Angel Perdomo (47) and catcher Manny Pina (9) shake hands after the win in the ninth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, July 18, 2021. The Brewers won 8-0.Milwaukee Brewers At Cincinnati Reds /

Brewers Deadline Need #1: Bullpen Depth

As the saying goes, you can never have enough pitching.

The Brewers, like every contending team, could use some more pitching, especially in their bullpen. Earlier in the season, Milwaukee traded away two important and valuable bullpen arms in J.P. Feyereisen and Drew Rasmussen, but they got back Willy Adames, so that worked out.

They also received Trevor Richards in return, and he was solid for a few weeks before he was traded to Toronto in exchange for Rowdy Tellez.

The two relievers the Brewers got for Orlando Arcia, Patrick Weigel and Chad Sobotka, have scarcely been seen in Milwaukee since the trade and aren’t performing too well in Triple-A Nashville either.

So the Brewers are down two relievers, essentially.

Justin Topa is on the mend, but he might not be big league ready until closer to September. Devin Williams is currently on the IL, but it shouldn’t be a long absence.

Jake Cousins and Miguel Sanchez have stepped up into big roles, but the Brewers need some more experience to count on in the bullpen down the stretch.

At the very least, the Brewers need one more reliever to fill out their bullpen down the stretch. Adding another experienced arm to this group will lock it down and give Craig Counsell enough weapons at his disposal to make it through the postseason.

This will be the biggest need for the Brewers to acquire at this Trade Deadline. It is nearly impossible to win a World Series without a lockdown bullpen. Especially with the inconsistency the offense this season, which could be fixed by addressing Need #2, having the pitching staff, both rotation and bullpen, at maximum strength will be key. To get to maximum strength, this bullpen needs a little more depth.

Next. 2 Under The Radar Relief Pitchers To Target. dark

Where will David Stearns find these arms? Probably from no place that fans and pundits expect them to be found, but Stearns will somehow find the perfect addition or two to fill out this bullpen.

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Brewers: Ranking The Crew’s Needs At The 2021 Trade Deadline

Here are the Milwaukee Brewers team needs to address at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline, ranked.

Brewers Trade Deadline Need #3. A veteran bench bat

Brewers Trade Deadline Need #2: A Solution At First Base

Brewers Deadline Need #1: Bullpen Depth

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