Should the Brewers take a chance on this recently DFA'd veteran third baseman?

The offense certainly hasn't been the problem for the Milwaukee Brewers as of late. In fact, nothing has really been a problem recently despite the team dropping a disappointing loss in last night's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, the current outpouring of offense surely won't last forever, and when the regression sets in, the team may benefit from having a veteran bat in the middle or later part of their lineup.

Already, MLB insiders are linking veteran trade candidates to the Brewers, with their biggest need being on the left side of the infield, despite both Joey Ortiz and Caleb Durbin swinging hot bats as of late — but more on that later. Should the front office look to add a proven bat to the roster via trade prior to next month's deadline, it would more than likely require the organization to deal from its talented prospect depth. But on Monday afternoon, an alternative option presented itself, and despite it seeming like an ideal scenario for a low-payroll team in need of an offensive upgrade, the Brewers should steer clear.

Jeimer Candelario shockingly DFA'd by Cincinnati Reds on Monday evening

On Monday night, shortly before the Cincinnati Reds began their first of three early-week games against the AL East-leading New York Yankees, the team activated their veteran infielder, Jeimer Candelario, from the 10-day IL and immediately designated him for assignment. The move came as a shock to Reds fans and the entire baseball world, as it's unusual for a player to lose their job because of an injury, and Candelario had roughly $23 million remaining on his contract with Cincinnati.

With the Reds on the hook for the rest of that contract, Candelario becomes an enticing change-of-scenery candidate, not only because he would cost his new team next to nothing, but also because he is still just 31 years old and has proven he can be a successful big-league hitter. In 2023, Candelario was a 3.3 bWAR player, splitting time between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs (you might remember the Cubs acquiring him at the 2023 trade deadline and him getting off to a scorching hot start with the Brewers' division rival).

Candelario became a free agent following the 2023 season and signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Reds. Immediately, in his first season with the Reds, that move looked like a poor decision from Nick Krall and the rest of the Reds' front office; Candelario posted an OPS+ of 89 in 112 games with the Reds a season ago, and his defense also took a hit, resulting in -0.7 Wins Above Replacement. A slow start and a back injury later, and the switch-hitting veteran now finds himself on waivers.

Brewers should avoid adding Jeimer Candelario to their roster

On paper, one could make the argument that Candelario is the perfect fit for the 2025 Brewers. He's a veteran infielder with experience at third base, an ability to hit for a high slugging percentage, and an affordable contract. Not only that, but stealing Candelario away from a division rival and a situation that no doubt upset the 10-year veteran would be an added bonus.

Additionally, adding a veteran on a low-risk deal to fill a need ahead of the trade deadline is a strategy that the Brewers have utilized before. Last year, the team added Dallas Keuchel on June 25, hoping he could fill their need for a reliable starting pitcher. After a few starts, the team realized that Keuchel didn't have much left in the tank and decided to move on, adding both Aaron Civale and Frankie Montas to fortify the rotation instead.

While the team could adopt a similar strategy with Candelario this season — trying him out for a few weeks before the deadline — there are a few stark differences between the Brewers' starting pitching situation in 2024 and their "need" for a third baseman in 2025. First, Candelario's profile is far from perfect; he's playing less and less third base each season, and his 0.24 walk-to-strikeout ratio a season ago was one of the worst in all of MLB. Additionally, he hit just .113 before landing on the IL this year, and posted a .238 batting average in the minor leagues during his rehab assignment.

Second, when the Brewers acquired Keuchel a season ago, they were in desperate need of innings, and his addition to the roster didn't take away playing time from young players trying to find their footing in the big leagues. The same cannot be said for a potential addition of Candelario to their roster this season. Both Joey Ortiz and Caleb Durbin, who would see less at-bats with Candelario on the team, are seemingly coming into form in the last few weeks after slow starts to the season. Ortiz is slashing .414/.414/.414 in his last seven games (one of the most satisfying and Milwaukee-relevant slash lines possible), while Durbin is slashing .333/.367/.444 during that same stretch.

Taking opportunities away from Ortiz and Durbin now to give another chance to an aging veteran who may or may not even be an upgrade over the two aforementioned players simply wouldn't be a wise decision. That's not to say that the Brewers shouldn't explore an infield option at the trade deadline next month, but Ortiz and Durbin have at least earned another few weeks of consistent at-bats to prove themselves before the front office starts adding new players to the organization.