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Brewers Trade Deadline: A Look At The 3 Best Deadline Deals In Franchise History

By Jacob Lenzendorf

SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 20: CC Sabathia of the Milwaukee Brewers throws in the bullpen before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on July 20, 2008. The Brewers defeated the Giants 7-4. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO - JULY 20: CC Sabathia of the Milwaukee Brewers throws in the bullpen before the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California on July 20, 2008. The Brewers defeated the Giants 7-4. (Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 27: Francisco Rodriguez #57 and Nevin Ashley #5 both of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 8-4 at Busch Stadium on September 27, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 27: Francisco Rodriguez #57 and Nevin Ashley #5 both of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 8-4 at Busch Stadium on September 27, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) /

The stove is getting hot. Deals are being made and some big time players have joined new squads. A couple days ago we looked at some of the worst trade deadline deals done by the Brewers and today, we’ll dive into the best ones.

David Stearns has established himself as an executive who will listen to offers on anyone and everyone. His track record to this point has been impressive so it’s pretty safe to assume a key addition will be made before July 30th at 3:00 CT.

But the point of this article is to highlight some of the best moves in the past, so let’s explore some of those key trade deadline deals made by the Milwaukee Brewers in previous years.

3. Doug Melvin Acquires K-Rod

Mets received: Danny Herrera LHP and RHP Adrian Rosario

Brewers received: RHP Francisco Rodriguez

The Brewers knew they had a team capable of making a deep run in 2011. They traded for Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum in the offseason and Prince Fielder was raking, but was a free agent at year’s end. It appeared the window was closing so Doug Melvin made a huge move for the organization. They went out and got one of the best relievers from the 2000s to be the setup man for John Axford.

Axford ended up leading the National League in saves that year and Milwaukee had to sure up the back end of that bullpen staff besides the Ax Man. Enter Francisco Rodriguez. After joining the club, all he did was post a 4-0 record with a 1.86 ERA, a 1.138 WHIP and strikeout 33 batters in 29 innings of work. Even more impressive, he embraced his new role of being a setup man after logging 254 saves in his previous six seasons between New York and Anaheim.

Adrian Rosario spent a couple years in the Mets farm system but never made it above Double A and Danny Herrera actually had a 1.13 ERA in 16 games with the Mets in 2011 but was later released.

It was a great deal for the Brewers and they wouldn’t have made it all the way to the NLCS without the prestigious reliever.

This also kicked off a stretch over the next several seasons where K-Rod would stick around with the Brewers and serve as the closer. The final time they traded him away, he netted Manny Pina for the Crew. Rodriguez brought plenty of value to the Crew and it all started with Melvin’s acquisition of him in 2011.

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