Brewers: 4 Trade Deadline Mistakes Matt Arnold Must Avoid At All Costs

Previous Trade Deadlines for the Brewers have not gone all that well. Several of the players Milwaukee has acquired haven't panned out and occasionally there's just been a bad overall approach to the Deadline.

The Brewers can ill afford another bad trade deadline. They're in a good position to earn a playoff spot this year and have the ability to make a run deep into the playoffs...if they make the right moves before the trade deadline is up.

Last year, the Brewers made several mistakes at the Trade Deadline. That can't happen again. Here's how they can avoid that.

This year, the Brewers must avoid making these four mistakes at the MLB Trade Deadline at all costs.

Deadline mistake to avoid #1: Trading a core member of the big league club

This would seem like an obvious thing to do for a buying team at the Trade Deadline. Apparently it wasn't so obvious last year when the Brewers traded Josh Hader to the Padres at the deadline for four players in return, one of whom was immediately DFAed and another flipped in the offseason.

This year, stars Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames are at the same service time level as Hader and are a year and a half away from free agency. The Brewers know they're unlikely to keep them long-term and thus trade rumors will swirl. The temptation may be there to cash in while the value is highest.

But that would be a mistake and thankfully it seems Matt Arnold understands that. After the Hader trade went over like a lead balloon in the clubhouse and in the fanbase, Arnold has assured ace Corbin Burnes he will not be traded at the Deadline. That's a good start for Arnold.

Beyond Burnes and Adames, the Brewers shouldn't be looking to flip any key member of the big league roster. That goes for backup catcher Victor Caratini, who's been the subject of some rumors that he could be traded away at the Deadline this year. He's a pending free agent and has become the personal catcher for Corbin Burnes. It would be odd for Milwaukee to promise Burnes they wouldn't trade him and then turn around and trade away his personal catcher.

If guys are going to be heading off the Brewers big league roster, it should be because other acquisitions have taken their place and they need to be optioned or DFAed to make room. Trading away big league veterans and key pieces of the roster would be a mistake that Matt Arnold needs to avoid.