Former Brewers’ third baseman gets another shot at MLB after trade to Rays

Oliver Dunn's time with the Milwaukee Brewers didn't go as he or the club hoped it would. Milwaukee acquired Dunn prior to his MLB debut back in November of 2023 after he posted an impressive season in with the Philadelphia Phillies' Double-A squad and an even more impressive performance in the 2023 Arizona Fall League that netted him the breakout player of the league award.

Dunn's breakout in the Phillies' farm system required the Brewers to part ways with intriguing position player prospects Hendry Mendez and Robert Moore, both of whom are now one step away from the major leagues. However, the Brewers were getting an exciting prospect themselves in Dunn, and with a spot open in their big-league infield, there was a chance of him making an immediate impact.

While Dunn did receive an opportunity to make an immediate impact, as he was somewhat surprisingly included on the Brewers' 2024 Opening Day roster despite having just seven games of Triple-A experience to his name, he didn't take advantage of the opportunity. Though he remained on the roster through the first week of June back in '24, Dunn was sporting just a .598 OPS when he was placed on the IL with a season-ending back surgery.

The third baseman returned with high expectations in 2025 and was once again included on the Brewers' Opening Day roster. However, Dunn didn't last as long on the big-league roster last year, as he was optioned to Triple-A on April 17. He didn't reappear on the Brewers' roster for the next four months and in late August Dunn was designated for assignment by Milwaukee. He cleared waivers, but was ultimately granted free agency after the season and ended up signing a deal with the Chicago White Sox last December.

However, before Dunn could make his debut on the South Side of Chicago he was traded to a new organization where he was immediately granted another big-league opportunity.

Oliver Dunn's MLB journey continues with trade to Tampa Bay Rays

Though Dunn's big-league opportunity with the White Sox never came, he was tearing the cover off the ball for their Triple-A squad, the Charlotte Knights, through the first two months of the 2026 campaign. In 156 at-bats, Dunn was slashing .295/.393/.545 with nine homers, 10 doubles, and 34 RBI.

His Triple-A success caught the eye of the Tampa Bay Rays, who were in need of infield depth after Ben Williamson landed on the IL with a lower back strain. As a result, Tampa Bay traded for Dunn late on Tuesday night, giving up left-handed reliever Joe Rock, who impressed in a small sample size of big-league innings last year.

On Wednesday, Dunn was immediately added to the Rays' active roster and joined the team for their series finale against the Baltimore Orioles. While Dunn didn't start the contest, he did appear as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and promptly scored the game-tying run before finishing the game as the Rays' third baseman.

The Brewers have been coined as the "Land of Opportunity," for the chances they give to players whose careers have stalled in other organizations. The Rays, who run a very similar organization to the Brewers, just might be the American League's "Land of Opportunity," and the latest beneficiary of this environment could be Oliver Dunn. If he can finally translate his minor league success to the major league level, it could end up looking like a very wise decision for the Rays.

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