Brewers announce pair of roster moves ahead of important series vs. Cardinals

It's no secret that at this point, the Milwaukee Brewers are to be viewed as legitimate World Series contenders this year. Not only does the club have one of the best run differentials and win-loss records in the league, but their bullpen has also been one of the best in the game.

Monday was a hard earned off day for the Brewers, but that doesn't mean they weren't going to remain active on the roster move front. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel took to social media (X link) to announce that the Crew optioned reliever Elvis Peguero down to Triple-A Nashville, with the expected corresponding move being Trevor Megill's activation from the injured list.

On Tuesday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirmed the move (X link). Peguero is heading down while Megill is back in action.

Brewers activate Trevor Megill, option Elvis Peguero to Triple-A

On the surface, Peguero being the name sent packing feels like a headscratcher. The 27-year-old joined the Brewers in the Hunter Renfroe trade with the Angels back in November of 2022 and has been one of the more oft-used options out of the bullpen, including in this season. The right-hander has 49 appearances under his belt with a 3.00 ERA and 140 ERA+.

Where the problem is, though, is the fact that Peguero inherits a ton of runners and when he does, they frequently come around to score. He has inherited 24 runners to date and 15 of them have come around to score, which means the runs count towards the ERA of the pitcher Peguero is replacing rather than his own. His own ERA would be much, much higher if these inherited runners counted towards his own mark.

With these moves, the Brewers are essentially swapping out a reliever with questionable under-the-surface numbers with one that's just straight up been great this year.

Megill, 30, has found his niche as an oft-used reliever who can handle high leverage and is also capable of closing out games. Before he hit the injured list at the end of July, he had racked up 35 appearances, finishing 24 games and notching 20 saves. He also is striking out over 10 batters per nine innings while boasting a H/9 rate just over 7.0. That's down nearly two full hits from his solid showing last year out of the Brewers' pen.

Megill doesn't get enough credit for how he anchored this bullpen at a time where injuries were ravaging the group. His transition from middle reliever to fill-in closer, as well as his flexibility in any role handed to him, deserves some love.

Now that Devin Williams is back in the fold, it feels like Megill is going to be able to settle into a set-up role where he can either pitch the eighth inning or take on high-leverage situations in the sixth or seventh as well. He gives the Brewers yet another rock-solid option to handle the heat of the moment, which should be a huge help as they inch towards another postseason berth.