Brewers rumors: Latest Brewers trade deadline prediction from ESPN makes no sense

With the MLB trade deadline approaching at the end of the month, teams are entering the stretch run of internal evaluations and finalizing their shopping lists. For the Milwaukee Brewers — a team known for making savvy, under-the-radar moves — fans are expecting front office action to match the moment.

However, if you ask ESPN’s David Schoenfield, the Brewers' deadline plan might be far less inspiring than expected. In his recent deadline predictions, Schoenfield named the Brewers as a landing spot for Diamondbacks reliever Shelby Miller, writing, “Given their budget, it probably won't be a big move for a big contract, so Miller and his $1 million salary is the logical help for a bullpen that ranks in the bottom third of the majors in ERA.”

Milwaukee's deadline plans deserve more than a budget reliever

On the surface, it’s a logical move. Miller has quietly been excellent this season, posting a 1.98 ERA with 40 strikeouts over 36.1 innings and recording 10 saves after taking over closer duties from the injured Justin Martinez. And yes, the Brewers’ bullpen has been shaky at times.

But this suggestion still doesn’t make much sense.

First off, there’s the matter of Arizona’s status as a seller — or lack thereof. Despite hovering below .500 and sitting firmly in fourth place in the NL West, the Diamondbacks haven’t signaled that they’re ready to sell. In fact, recent reports suggest they still believe they can claw their way back into the postseason picture. If that’s truly the case, it’s hard to imagine they’d part ways with their current closer.

Even if the D-backs do pivot toward selling, why would Shelby Miller be the only player the Brewers inquire about? There’s a much more obvious target on that roster in third baseman Eugenio Suárez. The veteran slugger is on an expiring contract and doesn’t appear to be in Arizona’s long-term plans. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has a glaring need at third base and a lineup that could really use a slugger. If the Brewers are already on the phone with Arizona, Suárez makes far more sense as a trade target — both positionally and strategically.

Then there's Miller himself. As previously mentioned, Miller's 2025 season has been the best of his career, but that career is riddled with inconsistency, and the picture as a whole tells a story of a reliever who might not be able to keep up his impressive start to the season. A deeper dive into Miller's underlying metrics confirms the suspicion — his expected ERA is nearly 1.5 runs higher than his actual ERA, and while he didn't allow a run for the entire month of April, his 4.50 ERA in May once again confirms his lack of consistency, and doesn't suggest that he's worth parting with a prospect or two.

Finally, one must consider the Brewers' current bullpen picture and ask where Miller fits in. Sure, a team can always use another solid reliever, but the Brewers' bullpen has been a strength of theirs since DL Hall and Aaron Ashby were added to the roster in late May. In fact, the Brewers' 3.34 bullpen ERA since May 23, the day that Ashby was activated from the injured list, is 7th best in all of baseball. Milwaukee has already "fixed" their early-season bullpen woes with internal additions, and wasting prospect capital on an area of their roster that has become a strength over the last two months would be uncharacteristic for Matt Arnold and company — especially given the inconsistent track record that trade deadline bullpen additions hold.

A true playoff push requires more than patchwork. It requires opportunity and ambition. If the Diamondbacks are open for business, the Brewers should think bigger than just a modest bullpen arm.