Brewers Rumors: Crew Reportedly In Pursuit Of Nationals 1B Josh Bell

Trade Deadline season is in full swing and the Milwaukee Brewers are right in the middle of all the rumors.

The Washington Nationals are clear sellers this season. We’ve seen that with the recent rumors of a Juan Soto trade and now one of their more obvious trade candidates in Josh Bell.

The Brewers, needing some more thump and productivity in their lineup, could be a fit for Josh Bell and Andy Martino of SNY is reporting that Milwaukee is among the teams in pursuit of Bell.

According to the latest Brewers rumors, the Crew is among several teams pursuing Nationals 1B Josh Bell at the MLB Trade Deadline.

Josh Bell is a free agent at the end of the season, lowering his acquisition cost. However, the large number of teams in his market will drive that price up slightly.

This season, Bell is hitting a spectacular .305/.388/.496 with 13 homers and a 156 OPS+. He draws walks at an 11% clip and strikes out at just a 13% clip. He’s a high quality all around hitter and would be a great addition to this Brewers offense that needs his contact, on-base, and power abilities.

Bell is a first baseman or DH only, but he would be an immediate upgrade upon Rowdy Tellez and Andrew McCutchen at either position. Tellez, as beloved as he is, is hitting .230/.306/.453 with 18 homers and a 111 OPS+. McCutchen is hitting .255/.320/.396 with 10 homers and a 101 OPS+. Outside of home run totals, Bell is putting up better numbers than both Tellez and McCutchen in every meaningful category.

While there will be ways for all three to get regular at-bats, Bell would be a tremendous addition to the Brewers lineup.

Andy Martino named a few other teams also in pursuit of Bell, including the Astros and Mets, but that the Mets were not among the frontrunners to land him. The estimate is that five teams are in his market.

For a good rental bat like Bell, the acquisition cost won’t be anything obscene, but with the number of teams in the market, he certainly won’t be had for a discount. It’s a price the Brewers are able to afford from their farm system. They have a number of quality prospects that could entice the Nationals to make a deal.

If the Brewers were to add Bell to their lineup, it would be a fantastic addition and just what this offense needs. He doesn’t strike out much, he draws his walks, hits for power, and hits for average. His consistent production will help even out the inconsistencies we have seen this season from the Brewers at the plate.

According to Martino, this market is rapidly accelerating and a deal could be done soon. Keep an eye on the Brewers for this deal.