Brewers Trade Deadline Partner #2: The Washington Nationals
Next, they will need two players with a high average and adequate power to constantly get runners around the bases. First on the Brewers' wish list, not to mention plenty of other teams, should be Nationals third baseman Jeimer Candelario.
It is almost a certainty Candelario will be moved within before August 1, but the sooner, the better for Milwaukee. After he was non-tendered by Detroit, he was signed by the Nationals to a $5MM deal. It was a terrific bargain and the switch-hitting infielder has posted a .255/.332/.807 line, 47 RBIs, and 15 home runs with solid defensive metrics.
Carl Edwards is in the final year of his contract and pitched well in relief last year. Kyle Finnegan is also available to pick over from the Nationals. He is stellar against lefties and can be a functional setup man.
If the Brewers need to increase the trade to make things work, the Nationals could add in Jeter Downs. Downs is major-league-ready, but the Nationals have no place in the lineup for him. They have given him just one at-bat in three weeks with the club. He recently came off the IL on June 28 and is a genuine threat on the base paths.