It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Brewers need starting pitchers. Even with an overall weak National League this year, that includes the central division, if they want to maintain their comfortable lead they may have to add externally soon because their need to address starting pitching depth is rather urgent. Otherwise internally they will be banking on prospect Carlos Rodriguez providing in a big way or guys like Jakob Junis, Joe Ross, Taylor Clark, DL Hall, or Robert Gasser returning from injury in the near future.
It will be interesting to see how Milwaukee elects to manage their current starting pitcher shortage, but if you look further down the road and towards the playoffs there is another aspect to their starting rotation that needs addressing. That is their lack of starting pitchers who have the ability to take over a game.
Freddy Peralta is currently viewed as the Milwaukee Brewers top starting pitcher.
With Corbin Burnes no longer in the organization and Brandon Woodruff sidelined for the entire 2024 season Freddy Peralta has assumed the role of #1 pitcher for the Brewers. He was their Opening Day starter this year and if the playoffs started today he would probably be their game one pitcher. After Peralta there is no clear hierarchy of starting pitchers.
While Peralta has been one of the best strikeout pitchers in the league this year (92 – 7th overall) and he is capable of taking over games he’s also posted a 4.50 ERA over his last five starts and has been vulnerable to not covering a lot of innings. Milwaukee’s rotation is currently lacking another starting pitcher with ace type stuff and come playoffs having more than one of those guys could be the difference in a series.
The Brewers have been linked to a pair of premier starting pitchers.
MLB Insiders and Analysts have already identified that Milwaukee would be a great fit for premier starting pitcher trade candidates Garrett Crochet (Chicago White Sox) and Jesus Luzardo (Miami Marlins). Both are controllable beyond the 2024 season and are going to be costly for the acquiring organization.
Could the Milwaukee Brewers acquire an ace from the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers?
In the American League West Division the 2023 World Series Champion Texas Rangers currently find themselves three games below .500 and among a cluster of .500 or below teams that are in contention for the third and final Wild Card spot. Injuries have been a major factor in the Rangers struggles this year but if they can’t put themselves in position to be buyers at the trade deadline they could ask an impending free agent starting pitcher if he would waive his no-trade clause in order to go to a contender.
The player in question is Max Scherzer. He waived his no-trade clause last year in order to leave the New York Mets and join the Rangers. New York received just one prospect in return and also paid a large portion of his remaining salary. Scherzer is currently owed $22.5 million from the Rangers this year.
As of today Scherzer is still rehabbing back after lumbar spine surgery. He has had a few set backs in his recovery as he is dealing with a nerve issue. Should he get built back up or show that he is close to full health by the trade deadline he would be a major asset for any contending team in the post season.
It will be worth monitoring over the next seven weeks how the Rangers perform as a team, how Scherzer progresses in his rehab, and if his name comes up in any trade talks. Between coming off surgery and being a rental his cost to acquire will not be as steep as Crochet or Luzardo.
If available the biggest question would be if he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause in order to come to Milwaukee or if he would prefer a team in a larger market. From the Brewers standpoint acquiring him seems like a long shot, but a healthy Scherzer is exactly what this team needs to set themselves up for the post season.
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