Brewers: 4 Affordable Players the Crew Could Target at the Trade Deadline

We are another day closer to the August 2nd MLB trade deadline, which means trade rumors are starting to heat up. I believe there will be a few players that may be on the market that would not break the bank for the Brewers but could be valuable enough to take the Crew over the hump. First, let’s look at why I chose these players specifically.

Brewers Righty/Lefty Splits This Season:

The Brewers have excelled at hitting right-handed pitching this season. They rank 4th in MLB in OPS and wOBA against righties, and 7th in WRC+. The same story cannot be said against left-handed pitching. They rank 25th in the league against LHPs in OPS, WRC+, and wOBA.

Simply put, the Brewers struggle to hit lefties. Luckily for the Brewers, there are a few players that may be available at the deadline that could help fill that hole.

Reviewing The Brew took a deeper dive into the potential trade for Boston’s J.D. Martinez earlier this week, so check that out if you haven’t already. But that is a trade that could cost the Brewers a bit to complete.

Here are four more affordable players the Brewers could target at the 2022 MLB trade deadline.

Affordable Brewers Trade Deadline Target #1: OF Robbie Grossman

Up first is Robbie Grossman, a 32-year-old outfielder for the Detroit Tigers. On the surface, Grossman’s numbers don’t fly off the page. He is slashing just .202/.308/.274 on the year and has an OPS+ of 70. However, I still find him to be an interesting trade piece for his ability to play anywhere in the outfield and for his splits against left-handed pitchers.

Against lefties, Grossman has a wRC+ of 183 which is good for third in the entire league among batters with at least 90 plate appearances. He has an OPS of .980 and a wOBA of .428 against them as well.

Being a career .246 hitter, I think it would be a solid buy low opportunity on Grossman. Coupling his overall lackluster numbers on the year with him being a rental opportunity, it would not take much for him to become a Brewer and I think it’s worth the look. He is sneakily among the league best when it comes to hitting left-handed pitchers.

Affordable Brewers Trade Deadline Target #2: 1B Christian Walker

My personal favorite on this list is first baseman/designated hitter Christian Walker of the Arizona Diamondbacks. A true slugger, Walker has 23 home runs on the season, paired with a slash line of .204/.312/.450. Walker’s quality of contact has been great, he has excelled at drawing walks, and he has also been a great defender.

Walker ranks in the top third of the league per Baseball Savant in average exit velocity (89.7 mph), hard hit rate (43.6%), and barrel rate (13.5%). Additionally, His walk rate of 12.8% ranks in the top 7% of the league, and he is in the 99th percentile in outs above average on defense.

Since Walker is not set to be a free agent until 2025 and has had a strong first half of the season, he would most likely require a stronger trade package than Robbie Grossman. However, he would bring a true power threat to the lineup, especially against lefties.

Against left-handed pitchers Walker has a WRC+ of 168, an OPS of .996, and a wOBA of .415. Additionally, his .313 ISO against lefties is good for 6th in the entire league (min 90 PA). He would bring a very strong and much needed right-handed bat presence to this Brewers lineup.

It will be interesting to see if the Brewers and the Diamondbacks can be trade partners at the deadline for a second year in a row.

Affordable Brewers Trade Deadline Target #3: INF Brandon Drury

Rounding out the list we have a pair of Cincinnati Reds infielders. We start by taking a look at second baseman (among other positions) Brandon Drury.

Drury has been excellent this season for the Reds, slashing .268/.329/.512 for an OPS+ of 124, wRC+ of 128, while he has also racked up 19 home runs. It’s been somewhat of an outlier of a season for Drury, who has posted career highs in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. His 19 home runs are also a career high, and he has done it in only 87 games.

Against lefties this season, Drury has a wRC+ of 175, an OPS of 1.025, and a wOBA of .430. Posting very strong numbers against southpaws, he also is a versatile defender. He can play pretty much anywhere in the infield and has also logged some games in the outfield in years past.

Drury is set to be a free agent at the end of the year, which is why I don’t think the Reds would be hesitant to do a trade with another NL Central team. The Reds would be able to cash in on a pleasant surprise of a new influx of talent, and the Brewers could ride the hot bat to a deep playoff run.