The Milwaukee Brewers have been off to a hot start, maintaining first place in the NL Central. But despite that, it seems that their pitching rotation is falling apart day after day as injuries plague them. Injuries have left a handful of pitchers on different injury lists, creating a huge struggle for the team as we head into the summer.
As the team approaches the trade deadline, acquiring some starting pitching should be their main priority. Even with a pretty healthy lead in the NL Central at 4.5 games, the Brewers need to address the urgency in fixing the pitching staff.
The Milwaukee Brewers Pitching Blues
Heading into the 2024 season, people were a little hesitant on trusting the Brewers’ starting pitching. With Corbin Burnes being traded to the Baltimore Orioles, Adrian Houser going to the New York Mets, and Brandon Woodruff being placed on the injury list for the entire year, it was slim-pickings as far as who would fill those spots.
Wade Miley is missing the remainder of the season after he received the diagnosis that he would need Tommy John surgery, DL Hall was just transferred to the 60-Day IL, and top pitching prospect Robert Gasser is scheduled to have Tommy John surgery after an electric start to his major league career.
The Brewers have tried to get 22-year-old Carlos Rodriguez to fill some shoes, but the young pitcher has struggled in his first three starts. There are pitchers available like Aaron Ashby, who’s coming back from shoulder surgery, but even when he pitched in a couple of games this season, it wasn’t the Aaron Ashby that we know.
Starting Pitching Options
We’re still about a month out from the July 30 trade deadline, however, the team needs to start looking at who could be a viable option to try and trade for to boost starting pitching.
1. Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox, LHP
This seems like a stretch, but it wouldn’t hurt for the Brewers to try and acquire an arm like Garrett Crochet. He’s going to be a difficult get, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today said that the White Sox said if they were to move him, he would need to be part of a package that is “greater than what the Padres game up for Juan Soto at the 2022 deadline,”
Crochet has two and a half years of team control left on his contract, but his 3.25 ERA, 124 strikeouts in 88.2 innings and 0.947 WHIP is something that looks super attractive to teams who are looking in the pitching market. The team should be aware that even though he’s had a great start to his 2024 season, they have to remember that the left-hander missed all of 2022 due to Tommy John surgery and pitched only 12.2 innings last season.
If the Milwaukee Brewers wanted to even consider trading for Crochet, they would have to dig into their farm system and give up some prospects and someone on the major league roster to acquire the 25-year-old. It truly would be the splash of the season if the Brewers are able to pull off acquiring Crochet.
2. Luis Severino, New York Mets, RHP
Luis Severino signed a one-year deal with the new York Mets this past offseason and so far, he’s posted a 4-2 record with a 3.52 ERA, 61 strikeouts in 84.1 IP, and a 1.198 WHIP.
Severino is also a pitcher that has missed time due to injury and recovering from Tommy John surgery, and his departure from the New York Yankees was rather disappointing. He started late last season with the Yankees due to injury, but once he was healthy, he just couldn’t seem to get it together as his ERA climbed to 6.65 and the team parted ways with him.
The injury-prone label that comes with Severino would be a risk to take, but seeing the Milwaukee Brewers’ track record this season, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise. But, we’re unsure if the Mets will even be selling at the deadline or if they’re going to ride with what they have. The Mets have been riding a winning streak, putting themselves in the Wild Card picture.
3. Jesus Luzardo, Miami Marlins, LHP
While he’s signed through 2026, left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo has been very inconsistent this season for the Miami Marlins, posting a 3-6 record with a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts. He missed his start this past weekend due to back tightness, but he’s a pitcher that when healthy, can throw upper 90s mph fastballs that generate swings and misses.
He might be a cheaper option compared to a pitcher like Crochet, but after Miami did all that talk about trading him in the winter and ended up not actually trading him might suggest that they’re looking for a higher price/trade package in order to give up their starting pitcher.
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