Milwaukee Brewers: This Trade Proposal for Max Scherzer is Insane

As June has almost drawn to a close, it means we are now just about a month away from the 2023 MLB trade deadline. This also means we have offcially entered the season of trade rumors and predictions.

The Milwaukee Brewers will certainly be included in many of the rumors and predictions that fans see over the next couple months. They've been in or around first place in the NL Central for most of the season, indicating that they are most likely to be buyers, but have players like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Willy Adames just over a year from free agency, which will only fuel the rumor mill.

As the trade pieces from different publications start rolling out, certain proposals will look more realistic than other ones. In a piece that was published on Wednesday, we already have one of our crazier predictions of trade season.

This Brewers trade proposal for Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer is insane.

This trade proposal came courtesy of Bleacher Report in an article that was appropriately named Outrageous Trades to Shake Up the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline. Toward the end, there was this one involving the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Mets.

Most fans are fully aware of who Max Scherzer is. The future Hall of Famer is a three-time Cy Young winner, an eight-time All-Star, and is a 16-year MLB veteran. He has his highest ERA since 2011, but is still doing just fine at 7-2 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.175 WHIP in 13 starts.

Many Brewers fans are also quickly becoming familiar with Jacob Misiorowski. The tall righty who was a second round pick by Milwaukee last summer has been dominating in his first full year of pro ball with a 2.34 ERA, 0.945 WHIP, and 14.0 K/9 through 13 starts, having already earned himself a promotion from Low-A Carolina to High-A Wisconsin. He's the team's top pitching prospect and a Top 100 prospect per MLB Pipeline.

The Mets have disappointed again this season - they currently sit fourth in the NL East with a 36-44 record. And a pitcher swap between two teams isn't always out of the ordinary. But there are so many reasons why this trade has no chance of ever happening.

For one, Scherzer is making a whopping $43.3MM this season and has a player option for the same amount for 2024, an option he'll surely exercise. Meanwhile, the Brewers are a not exactly a high-spending team by MLB standards.

In the article, it's stated that, "if the Padres could afford to start doling out a bunch of massive long-term deals out of nowhere in recent years, surely the Brewers could find a way to pay a ballooned budget for one season in hopes of finally winning a World Series." Yes, anything is possible. But outside of a surprising supposed run at Juan Soto last season, Milwaukee has never shown an indication that they would push their payroll to the level that would be necessary to land Scherzer.

Secondly, Scherzer has a full no-trade clause. While it is indeed true that he could waive it, what makes anyone think that he would? In fact, when the Brewers were shopping at the trade deadline two years ago, there were rumors that his no-trade clause may have prevented a move once already, as was hinted at in this piece by MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

And finally, with the Brewers potentially being without co-aces Burnes and Woodruff after 2024 and needing to start relying on their next wave of young starting pitchers, why on earth would they trade the best pitcher in their system for a pitcher who is about to be on the wrong side of 40?

Besides all of the reasons why the insane Scherzer trade wouldn't happen, starting pitching does not need to be the Brewers' focus at the trade deadline. Despite some losses to injury along the way, the rotation has held together quite well. The offense, meanwhile, has been one of the worst in the league. That's where they need to focus most of their energy.

The Brewers will probably be buyers this summer and will all but certainly make some trades to improve the team as they push for a playoff berth. This one, however, will not be one of them.