5 Trade Deadline Targets for the Brewers from the Miami Marlins

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Tuesday that the Miami Marlins’ new stance on the trade deadline was to listen to offers on “everyone not named Alcantara.” With the MLB trade deadline just a week away, no team should be off the table for the Milwaukee Brewers to call and look for reinforcements to help bolster the Brewers for another potential postseason run.

The Brewers have some assets in the minor leagues they could look to deal in an attempt to upgrade the major league roster. Let’s look at five players the Brewers could call the Marlins and find out the price tag on.

Milwaukee Brewers trade targets from Miami Marlins: RHP Pablo Lopez

Pablo Lopez is the first player the Milwaukee Brewers could make a call about, a starting pitcher. While the Brewers may be getting Adrian Houser and Freddy Peralta back soon, the Brewers could be motivated to grab another starter if they are worried about the health of one of the two or to maybe take the place in the rotation of Adrian Houser in 2023 and beyond.

Lopez is eligible for arbitration in 2023 and 2024, his age 27 and 28 seasons. If the Brewers were to make a move for Lopez they could either roll with a six man rotation as Craig Counsell has been known to do or move Houser to the bullpen for the postseason. The other option is to move Adrian Houser at the deadline should another team be looking for a starting pitcher.

Pablo Lopez would be a great fit with the rest of the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff, currently sporting a 3.14 ERA in 19 starts, spanning 109.0 innings. Lopez has a fantastic 1.092 WHIP which would be second in the Brewers starting rotation to only Corbin Burnes. Lopez is currently sitting on 107 strikeouts, which would also rank second on the team to only Burnes.

Pablo Lopez is a guy that generates a lot of swing and misses to opposing batters, Lopez is in the 88th percentile of pitchers in chase rate and 78th percentile in whiff rate. Lopez does his work with a fastball changeup combo, similar to the way Devin Williams works. While getting a player of Lopez’s caliber may not be a pressing need, if he’s available and the opportunity is there to get him, he’s a guy you’d love to have on your staff.

Milwaukee Brewers trade targets from Miami Marlins: RHP Anthony Bass

Anthony Bass is a 34 year old right handed relief pitcher having arguably the best season of his entire career. In 42 games across 41.2 innings so far in 2022 Bass has an ERA of just 1.51 which would be the lowest on the Brewers. Factoring in his age, Bass might be the most realistic option for the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire from the Marlins.

Anthony Bass could help bolster the Brewers bullpen that is aching for help in middle relief situations, the situation has reached the point of the Brewers bringing in Jake McGee, who so far has been good in a couple appearances for the team since being designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants recently.

Bass is near the top of Major League Baseball in percentile rankings in just about every metric tracked by baseball savant. Given the fact that Bass is 34, having a fantastic season and is making just $3 million in 2022 and has a club option for 2023 at $3 million, it’s really quite surprising that Bass’ name hasn’t popped up in more trade rumors.

Milwaukee Brewers trade targets from Miami Marlins: LHP Steven Okert

Steven Okert is a left handed pitcher who just turned 31, interestingly Okert was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers not once, but twice, once in the 43rd round in 2010 and again in the 33rd round in 2011. Okert is under team control for four and a half seasons.

What makes Okert potentially of interest to the Milwaukee Brewers is first, adding effective left handed pitchers to your team is always of interest, second Okert is having one of his best seasons as a major leaguer. Steven Okert has made at least 10 appearances in five seasons in MLB, three with the San Francisco Giants and this year and last year with the Marlins.

Steven Okert over 40 appearances in 33.2 innings has a 2.14 ERA, 43 strikeouts (would rank third among Brewers relievers), 1.01 WHIP and a solid 11.5 K/9 rate. Having a guy like Okert available to pitch in the fifth, sixth and sometimes seventh innings would ease the mind of Craig Counsell who has had to rely heavily on guys like Brent Suter and Jandel Gustave, who have had good moments but have had equally as many bad moments.

Okert could also be very useful as a trustworthy option late in games should Devin Williams and Josh Hader not be available, similar to the role Hoby Milner has dominated in this season. Adding another player that could be as useful and valuable as Milner has been would be a massive help to the Brewers postseason aspirations.