The MLB Trade Deadline is still more than three weeks away, but the Milwaukee Brewers are already reaping the rewards of their first trade of the summer. Alright, technically the Crew acquired Andrew Vaughn from the Chicago White Sox on June 13, a week before the official start of summer, but you get the idea. Additionally, it wasn't Matt Arnold and company's first major trade of the season, as they swung an early-season deal for Quinn Priester way back on April 7 — a deal that is aging very well. Regardless, Vaughn made an impressive first impression on the Milwaukee faithful last night.
With two outs in the top of the first inning, the Los Angeles Dodgers' starter and NL All-Star selection, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, looked like he was going to escape unscathed after allowing a leadoff double to Sal Frelick and walking the next batter, William Contreras. However, on a 2-2 pitch to the newest member of the Brewers, Vaughn, the Crew's recent trade acquisition, jumped on a hanging slider above the zone and sent it 409 feet into the Brewers' bullpen in left field. As mentioned on the Fan Duel Sports Network Wisconsin broadcast, Vaughn became just the fifth Brewer to homer in his first at-bat with the team, and the first to do so since Gabe Gross in 2006.
Vaughn went on to draw a walk and score another run in his first game with the Brewers, filling in seamlessly for the injured Rhys Hoskins, who had appeared in 82 of the first 89 games of the season. In just one game, Vaughn confirmed what most were already calling a win for the Brewers' front office in their trade with the White Sox last month.
Milwaukee Brewers have already won last month's Aaron Civale for Andrew Vaughn trade with Chicago White Sox
You could make the argument that the Brewers won the Civale trade by giving their former starter an opportunity to continue starting games rather than coming out of the bullpen, while also freeing a spot in their own rotation for Jacob Misiorowski. Anything on top of that was simply icing on the cake.
Well, that icing now tastes pretty sweet given that the Crew found the perfect replacement for their injured first baseman in the trade as well. The trade is also a win for Vaughn, who was in desperate need of a change of scenery. His career was in jeopardy in the White Sox' organization and needed an opportunity to prove that he still has value as a right-handed power bat, something that the Brewers desperately needed.
As for Civale, his first four starts for Chicago haven't been bad. He’s posted a 4.29 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched, but they tell a story of a pitcher who wouldn't have lasted much longer in the Brewers' crowded starting rotation, even if he hadn't been traded when he was.
In a sense, this trade still serves as a win for all parties involved: the Brewers needed a power bat and a free spot in their rotation for Miz, Vaughn needed a change of scenery, Civale needed an opportunity to keep pitching as a starter, and the White Sox needed a viable innings eater.
Even still, if Vaughn continues to find the success that he has since joining the Brewers organization, this trade will become a tougher and tougher pill for White Sox fans to swallow.