Brewers Rumors: Crew Reportedly “Trying For” Royals All Star OF

It’s trade deadline season, which means it’s trade rumors season. We have a fresh one concerning the Milwaukee Brewers and their pursuit of offensive upgrades.

The Brewers need more offense. Any casual observer of the team this season could tell you that. But who should they acquire in order to help? It appears the Brewers have a target in mind that could help.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Milwaukee Brewers are among at least three teams “trying for” Royals All Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi.

The latest Brewers trade rumors have Milwaukee looking to acquire Andrew Benintendi from the Royals.

What do the Brewers need in their offense? They need someone who will hit for a high average, get on base, and not strike out very often. That perfectly describes Andrew Benintendi.

This season, as of July 14th, Benintendi is hitting an impressive .317/.386/.401 with a 124 OPS+ and just a 14% strikeout rate. Putting that in the Brewers lineup instantly improves it.

The 28 year old Benintendi is a left handed hitter who is putting up one of the best seasons of his career, although his power numbers have dipped. He’s a free agent at the end of the season, making him a short term rental fix for a Brewers outfield that finds itself in need of some help.

Milwaukee’s biggest need in the outfield is in centerfield, a position that Benintendi hasn’t played at all since 2019, but historically the Brewers have shown a willingness to acquire the bat and figure out the defensive positioning later.

Because Benintendi is a short-term rental, the acquisition cost will be lower than a player with another year or more of control, such as a Ramon Laureano. The two other teams Heyman listed as having been interested in Benintendi are the San Diego Padres and the New York Yankees. Although the Yankees are reportedly now out of his market.

There are likely other teams that will be interested in Benintendi’s services, but if it’s just the Brewers and the Padres, I like the Crew’s chances to get him. They would certainly have more opportunities for him to play than out in San Diego, plus the Brewers and Royals have had a good relationship with making trades in recent years.

This team needs an offensive upgrade and they need an outfield upgrade. Benintendi satisfies those needs and will do so at a fairly inexpensive price.

These rumors are sure to heat up as we get closer to the Trade Deadline. Stay tuned to Reviewing the Brew for all the latest updates.