Comparing the two Aaron Civale trades that the Brewers executed over the last year

It's been nearly one year since the Milwaukee Brewers acquired Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 3, 2024. At the time, it was a move to bolster the starting rotation for a team gearing up for a playoff run. They sent infielder Gregory Barrios — an intriguing, glove-first prospect — to Tampa Bay in return for the steady (if unspectacular) right-hander. The early returns? Not bad at all. Civale posted a 3.53 ERA and a 6–3 record across 14 starts for Milwaukee to close out the 2024 season, a noticeable rebound from the 5.07 ERA and 2–6 mark he carried with the Rays.

Barrios, meanwhile, has settled in as the Rays’ No. 16 prospect, and while he’s still just 21 years old, he’s already showing signs of impact. He plays premium defense at shortstop, has swiped 90 bases in four minor league seasons, and sports a contact-heavy approach with a 13% strikeout rate. The bat’s still coming around, but there’s enough there to suggest he could become a slick-fielding, base-stealing No. 9 hitter in the future — something the Brewers already have a few of in their farm.

So from the get-go, the trade felt pretty fair. The Brewers got quality innings during a playoff push, and Barrios got development time in a less crowded Tampa pipeline.

Brewers' trade tactics shine again in Civale-for-Vaughn deal

But then came 2025. Civale’s ERA ballooned to 4.91 over five starts this season, and the Brewers — flush with young pitching, including top prospect Jacob Misiorowski — made the move to shift Civale to the bullpen. That didn’t sit well with him. In true “I want out” fashion, Civale reportedly requested a trade… and the Brewers responded with a “be careful what you wish for” move of epic comedy.

They shipped him off to the last-place Chicago White Sox, a team now hovering around 30 games under .500 and sitting in the basement of the AL Central. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is in second place in the NL Central with a real shot at the division crown. Civale wanted nothing to do with the bullpen — and he got exactly that, in the form of front-row seats to irrelevance on the South Side. A hilarious outcome, if you’re into poetic justice.

But this wasn't just a grudge deal — it was actually another savvy move by the Brewers' front office.

In return, they snagged Andrew Vaughn, a former No. 3 overall pick who had fallen out of favor in Chicago. Vaughn was hitting just .189/.218/.314 over 48 games, bad enough to earn a demotion to Triple-A Charlotte. But since arriving in the Brewers’ system, Vaughn’s bat has come alive. He’s slashing .290/.371/.613 at Triple-A Nashville, with two home runs and eight RBIs — including a grand slam — in his first couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, Civale is doing what Civale does: pitching fine, but not spectacularly. He’s 0–2 with a 4.50 ERA in his first three starts for Chicago, striking out 10 in 16 innings. Certainly not better than the electric Misiorowski, who’s 3–0 with a 1.13 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 16 innings since being called up.

In essence, the Brewers upgraded their rotation while parting with an impending free agent making $8 million, acquiring a still-controllable slugger in Vaughn owed $5.85 million this year with one more year of arbitration. It’s not a massive savings, but it’s future flexibility — and perhaps an insurance policy if Rhys Hoskins’ $18 million mutual option for 2026 doesn’t work out (which it likely won't).

Looking back on the two trades together, the Brewers essentially traded Barrios for a season of Civale and a year and a half of Vaughn. Not too shabby if you ask me, especially given the fact that the Brewers' farm system is riddled with infield depth. Civale was exactly what the Brewers needed during the second half of 2024 and even added some value this season despite spending a considerable amount of time on the injured list.

Now, with the team's first base situation uncertain in 2026, Vaughn could be the perfect stopgap, providing a productive bridge between Hoskins and the wave of first base talent in the Brewers’ farm system currently sitting 1-2 years away from their debut. If Vaughn proves to be a solid big leaguer at any point during his Brewers' tenure, this series of moves will go down as another masterclass by Matt Arnold and company.