Bleacher Report's early predictions reveal two very different Brewers' trade deadline options

The midseason MLB trade deadline is still two months away, but as the league's standings start to stabilize now that the calendar has flipped to June, fans of contending teams have naturally begun creating their wishlists. Once again, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves among that group of contenders, and with areas on their roster that could be improved, the trade deadline predictions have started.

Over the last week, the Brew Crew has frequently been cited as a potential landing spot for Detroit Tigers' ace and reigning back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Just yesterday, MLB insider Joel Sherman voiced his reasoning for the Brewers pursuing Skubal, who will require a hefty prospect package, at this year's trade deadline on MLB Network's program MLB Now. Check out Sherman's explanation in the clip below:

There's no doubt a trio of Skubal, Jacob Misiorowski, and Kyle Harrison would form a formidable playoff rotation capable of dethroning the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, but the question is whether or not the Brewers are willing to part ways with one or more of their top prospects and sacrifice potential future success for an "all-in" type move this year. Sherman mentions the natural comparison to the CC Sabathia move, before explaining that said trade back in 2008 occurred under a much different set of circumstances.

While Skubal is undoubtedly the top name likely to be available at this year's trade deadline, other more likely avenues certainly exist for the first-place Brewers. Over on Bleacher Report, Kerry Miller mentioned two names that Milwaukee could be in the running for when the deadline arrives on August 3: Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes and Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan. Be sure to check out Miller's full article of bold predictions which is free to read over at bleacherreport.com and linked below for your convenience.

Bold 2026 MLB Trade Deadline Predictions with 2 Months to Go

Paredes and Ryan offer two very different paths for the Brewers at the trade deadline, but both would certainly help Milwaukee in their current state. Both would also still cost a steep prospect price, and while one might be worth the cost, the other has shown some signs that should have the Brewers questioning whether or not he's worth the price of losing a top prospect.

Joe Ryan is certainly worth the high price that he will command at the trade deadline, Isaac Paredes may not be

When thinking about what the Brewers may need at this year's trade deadline, one area of their roster sticks out: the left side of their infield. However, Milwaukee also has a pair of prospects in Triple-A -- Cooper Pratt and Jett Williams -- who could potentially fill in for the big-league squad if the Brewers' current infielders continue to struggle. Even still, it's fair to assume that when the deadline arrives, a short-term solution on the left side of their infield could easily be on the Brewers' shopping list.

Here's the issue: there aren't many options when it comes to third baseman and shortstops in this year's group of trade candidates. More options could present themselves as more teams fall out of contention over the next two months, but as things currently stand, Paredes is one of the few third basemen who will be available at the trade deadline, which would raise the price that Houston can command.

It then becomes a question of whether Paredes, who is under team control through the 2027 season, is worth the price. The main reason for the Brewers to pursue Paredes would be to add some power to their lineup. The former Tampa Bay Ray has slugged 19 homers or more in each of his last four seasons. However, there's reasons to believe that Paredes' power might soon see a pretty sizable downswing.

For one, he's incredibly reliant on pull-side power -- a quick look at his spray charts reveals that Paredes has very little power to the opposite field or even center field, which is a weakness that pitchers are starting to exploit. Additionally, he has never posted an expected slugging percentage higher than the 26th percentile in all of baseball. He makes up for a low batting average with a consistently strong walk rate, but with virtually no value on the basepaths, his ability to get on base means slightly less. Pair those concerning underlying metrics with the fact that Paredes is an inconsistent defender at third base, and it becomes difficult to justify the Brewers giving up a huge trade package for the Astros' third baseman when that prospect capital could be used elsewhere.

Though his price is likely to be slightly higher than Paredes', Twins' ace Joe Ryan just might be worth the cost. Ryan has maintained a 3.60 ERA or better since 2024 and is consistently near the top of the league in strikeout rate. He has great command of his six-pitch arsenal, and when he avoids giving up too many homers, Ryan is one of the best arms in the sport.

Ryan would immediately reshape the Brewers' pitching staff for the stretch run, while adding some experience to an otherwise very inexperienced group of starters. The 29-year-old right-hander is under team control through the 2027 season, so he could fill in for Brandon Woodruff in next year's rotation if the long-time Brewer departs in free agency.

Starting pitching may not currently seem like a need for the Brewers, but if the Dodgers' dominant performance in the NLCS last year is any indication, a strong rotation can carry a team through a postseason run. As a result, adding Ryan to the picture could be the better use of Milwaukee's prospect capital than adding an inconsistent bat like Paredes.

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