Brewers Rumors: Crew Reportedly Seeking Starting Pitcher Before Trade Deadline

The 2022 Major League Baseball trade deadline is fast approaching. By the time 5 p.m. comes on Tuesday, August 2nd, don’t be surprised to see some new faces on the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers do have some needs they will want to address, and, reportedly, that includes a starting pitcher.

The Brewers have made a deal near the deadline for the past four seasons, and a fifth should be coming. Since 2018, pieces have been added to the team to make a playoff run. The Brewers could make the postseason for a fifth straight season, and winning the NL Central and more might not come without some possible help.

The Milwaukee Brewers have now been linked to seeking a starting pitcher at the MLB Trade Deadline according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman.

This is news to a lot of people. For the past few seasons, the Brewers have usually added an additional bullpen arm or two. The team did just bring on Jack McGee as a left-handed reliever, but another weapon wouldn’t hurt.

Milwaukee could also use some outfield depth. It does appear the outfield is finally healthy, but a center fielder upgrade would push the team to the next level. After Lorenzo Cain was DFA’ed, Tyrone Taylor and Jonathan Davis have split duties in center. Both have played solid, but aren’t quite adding the offensive pop the Brewers need come October.

Adding a starting pitcher shouldn’t be out of the question either. A lot of attention is on the bullpen and bats. But another starting pitcher to bolster the rotation might make this team unstoppable. Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff have been lights out to no one’s surprise. But with Freddy Peralta’s and Adrian Houser’s returns still up in the air and how they will look when they come back, a number three starter might be needed.

Aaron Ashby, Eric Lauer and Jason Alexander have kept the Brewers afloat during the team’s string of injuries. But Alexander was sent back to Triple-A on July 18th, and the team is currently rolling with a four-man rotation. Ethan Small was used earlier in the week, but barely lasted three innings.

The Guardians’ Plesac was mentioned in Heyman’s tweet, but he isn’t the only viable candidate out there. Luis Castillo, Jordan Lyles, Jose Quintana and Tarik Skubal are a few of the possible starters Milwaukee could bring in.

Castillo and Plesac would obviously cost the Brewers more in terms of return to the Guardians and Reds. Plesac doesn’t start arbitration until next season. Castillo will still have a year of control after this season.

Skubal would be another player that might need a bigger return, too. The 25-year-old is under team control until 2027. He has a 7-8 record this year with a 3.67 ERA. And as Ethan Small remains closer to being on the major league roster, the absolute need for more starters isn’t necessary. But, it wouldn’t hurt depending on the future of starters like Houser and Lauer.

If Lyles sounds familiar, that’s because he is. The 31-year-old isn’t having the best season with a 7-8 record and 4.56 ERA, but he has always pitched well when with the Brewers. In 2018, Lyles had a 1-0 record and 3.31 ERA over 11 games in more of a reliever role. In 2019, he had a 2.45 ERA and 7-1 record over 11 games, all of which he started. He hasn’t reclaimed that magic since leaving Milwaukee.

With the Chicago Cubs, Quintana was a Brewer killer. He always seems to pitch well against the Brewers, even at American Family Field. Having him on the mound with a Milwaukee uniform could work out very well for them and he’d be available for a fairly inexpensive price.

The Brewers are in the hunt for multiple players ahead of this year’s deadline. If they add a few pieces and also get healthy, they are in a great position to make a major push towards winning the NL Central and beyond.