Brewers solve remaining roster battle with last-second trade with KC Royals

When the Milwaukee Brewers signed Mark Canha to a minor league deal one month ago, all signs were pointing towards him being used as a back up first baseman, designated hitter, and occasional pinch hitter.

Manager Pat Murphy publicly relayed those thoughts and even changed his jersey number from 21 to 49 to accommodate Canha reclaiming his former number with the team. The plan Murphy envisioned for Canha made sense as the only other options to occupy those roles included prospect Tyler Black and non-roster invitee Jake Bauers.

Between Canha, Black, and Bauers, Canha has the most upside. He isn't a defensive liability at first base, in which Black has shown lapses in that regard. At the plate, Canha also has the upper leg as even in his down years his batting average and overall run production has been significantly better than Bauers, who hit below the Mendoza line last year.

So why did the Brewers decide to trade Canha to the Kansas City Royals for cash or a player to be named later? Le'ts further examine.

Milwaukee Brewers' decision to trade Mark Canha signals backup 1B intentions

With having more than six years of MLB service time and finishing the 2024 season on a 40-man roster, Canha had an opt out clause built into his minor league contract with the Brewers. Milwaukee's decision to trade him was made because they no longer intended on adding him to their roster before opening day, so rather than lose him for nothing they got something back in return from the Royals.

This decision from the Brewers signals that similar to last year, they are valuing having a left-handed back up first baseman/occasional designated hitter and pinch hitter. While Tyler Black is the only current option they have on the 40-man roster, it would not be shocking to not see Bauers added at some point and reclaim the role he had a season ago.

If Bauers does indeed rejoin the roster, he would provide the Brewers with a familiar and reliable option in that role. His experience and left-handed bat make him a natural fit for the team's depth strategy.

The other part of this is that by taking Canha out of the picture, Black would be inline to see more playing time. This would give the Brewers a better look at what they have in him. Offensively, Black fits Milwaukee's mold of being a contact hitter who has valued getting on base and swiping bases.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the Brewers manage their roster decisions and whether Bauers once again becomes a key piece of their bench or if Black shows enough improvements to take sole possession of the role.

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