With 50 games to go, the Milwaukee Brewers currently own the best record in baseball at 68-44. Despite this, their top rival, the Chicago Cubs, trail them in the division by just three games. The two teams are setting up what should be an exciting finish of the National League Central crown.
Both the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers added at the trade deadline
Neither the Brewers or Cubs made all-in moves at the trade deadline this year, but both teams already had pretty deep rosters. Joining Milwaukee in late July was catcher Danny Jansen and pitchers Shelby Miller and Jordan Montgomery. Both Miller and Montgomery are currently injured, with just Miller expected to return this season.
Meanwhile, the Cubs added outfielder Willi Castro and pitchers Michael Soroka, Andrew Kittredge, and Taylor Rogers. Of this group, Soroka is a starter, and addressed Chicago’s most glaring need, which was help in the starting rotation.
Chicago Cubs dealt big injury blow to trade deadline addition
Of the Cubs group of new additions, Soroka is heading to the injured list. During his debut with Chicago, he left after the second inning as he felt something grab in his shoulder. The severity of the injury is not yet known.
“I just went to go put a little extra on a fastball and grabbed me a little bit, didn’t go away. So I decided to say something when I came in after that inning and (the medical staff) moved along.”
-Michael Soroka via the Marquee Network
The Milwaukee Brewers built positional depth prior to the trade deadline
While injury has already impacted the Cubs trade additions, Milwaukee did a great job building positional depth prior to the trade deadline. Mid-season trades for Quinn Priester and Andrew Vaughn have payed dividends for the Brewers so far as Priester has tied a franchise record with 10 straight wins and Vaughn has been one of the leagues top RBI contributors since taking over for the injured Rhys Hoskins.
Additionally, the Brewers bolstered their bullpen at the trade deadline by acquiring impact reliever Shelby Miller, who is currently sidelined with an injury. Thanks to their strong bullpen depth, the team can afford to be patient with his recovery. Once healthy, Miller is expected to be another valuable high-leverage weapon in Milwaukee’s late-inning arsenal.
Despite injury setbacks on both sides, the Brewers’ combination of smart roster construction and impactful mid-season acquisitions has them well-positioned for the stretch run. Their balanced roster may be the edge they need to hold off the Cubs and claim the NL Central crown.
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