The day of the Trade Deadline is finally here! It's the last day for the Brewers to make substantial upgrades to their roster ahead of the final two months of the regular season and the push for a World Series. What is left for them to do?
So far, the Brewers have made two trades. They acquired Carlos Santana from the Pirates for infield prospect Jhonny Severino, and then they acquired Mark Canha from the Mets for pitching prospect Justin Jarvis.
Milwaukee's addressed their needs at first base and in right field. GM Matt Arnold hinted that there are likely more trades to come. With two of his needs handled, what's left on his shopping list?
The Brewers enter the final day of the trade deadline with a couple things still left on their shopping list.
Brewers Final Day Trade Deadline Shopping List: Designated Hitter upgrade
What the Brewers have done so far with the offense has helped address some needs with the offense, but there's still more work to do. The addition of Santana could push Rowdy Tellez to DH when he returns from the injured list. Mark Canha's addition could mean Joey Wiemer sees more time at DH.
The problem with both of those solutions is neither one of them has been hitting all that well, so what good does that do when the DH spot is still a black hole? Both Tellez and Wiemer are likely better than Jesse Winker for that role but is that really what the Brewers want to go with the rest of the season?
The Trade Deadline is an opportunity to put underperforming players in lesser roles where you don't have to put them in the lineup everyday. Shifting underperforming players to DH doesn't exactly help improve the lineup situation. Santana and Canha were brought in because the players the Brewers have at those spots weren't cutting it and moving those players who weren't cutting it to DH defeats the purpose of making the additions.
Milwaukee can't go with a combination of Jesse Winker and Rowdy Tellez at DH the rest of the way. The Brewers should be looking to add as big of an impact bat as they can find to install in this lineup. Defense doesn't matter here. This is a weak market for hitters, it's true, but whoever the best bat available is, is something the Brewers should be willing to pay for because it's atop their shopping list as time winds down and the longer they wait the fewer options there will be.
Possible targets: Eloy Jimenez, Tommy Pham, Adam Duvall
Brewers Final Day Trade Deadline Shopping List: Left handed reliever
The Brewers thought they'd have their left handed reliever addition when they brought in Justin Wilson back in spring. He was going to be ready around this time and they had activated him, but just before they were about to call him in for his season debut, he suffered a lat injury, bringing a heartbreaking stop to his comeback from TJS.
Now, the Brewers are back in the market for another relief pitcher to help out the bullpen. It wouldn't be surprising to see Milwaukee land a reliever on the final day of the Deadline. They've added relievers at the Deadline in each of the last couple of years, although those deals haven't exactly panned out as expected. Craig Counsell has mentioned that he'd like to see another reliable reliever and they may have to look to the trade market to find one.
There's no shortage of bullpen arms that get moved around this time, and there will be a flurry of them getting traded on the final day. Milwaukee could snag themselves one for a low cost and still look to finish their shopping list on offense.
Possible targets: Brent Suter, Brad Hand, Aaron Bummer, Chasen Shreve, Brooks Raley
This is what's left on the Brewers shopping list on the final day of the Trade Deadline. Just two things to get. Milwaukee can enter today feeling solid about what they've got so far, but unsatisfied.
Making the two trades before today can help put Matt Arnold at ease so he doesn't have to make a panic move. It feels like he has more moves in him, though. He knows the moves so far are merely marginal improvements to the roster and they alone won't make this a World Series caliber team. A second trusted left handed reliever and a massive upgrade to the middle of the lineup at DH would go a long way toward making that happen.
The chaos is about to begin.