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The Milwaukee Brewers Should Consider Trading for Ervin Santana

By John Geiger II |
TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Ervin Santana #54 of the Minnesota Twins says a prayer before pitching in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JULY 25: Ervin Santana #54 of the Minnesota Twins says a prayer before pitching in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on July 25, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

The Milwaukee Brewers had an active trade deadline bringing in three new players. However, August brings ample opportunity to continue to add players.

One player the Milwaukee Brewers should keep an eye on is Ervin Santana. Although the Twins former ace has only recently returned to the mound, he has a proven track record of success and that’s something that can help The Crew. Jhoulys Chacin has performed far beyond expectations to this point of the season but could use some help.

Although Junior Guerra has enjoyed a bounce back season, it doesn’t feel like enough for the Brewers to make some noise during October. Chase Anderson has been disappointing and has taken a step backward for Milwaukee this season. However, he has been better during his recent starts and can still salvage this season.

The general thought heading into the trade deadline was that the Brewers would acquire a starting pitcher. Instead, Milwaukee added two above-average bats along with a proven high-leverage reliever. The belief in the rotation is strong with General Manager David Stearns, so who are we to question? Stearns has been damn near impeccable during his time with the Milwaukee Brewers so we should have trust in what he believes.

Zach Davies will hopefully return at some point and he could provide a spark for the rotation. Also, let’s not forget about Jimmy Nelson who could return in time for a handful of starts before the postseason. Nelson returning to form would be a game-changer for The Crew but it’s risky to depend on that.

Now, back to why the Brewers should trade for Santana…maybe

Santana has enjoyed a ton of success during his 14-year career. He has 149 wins and averages 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings to go along with 1.2 home runs per nine innings. He has only 10 1/3 innings pitched across two starts and has performed poorly since coming off of the disabled list this season. However, he would bring much needed playoff experience to the Brewers roster.

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The veteran righty is an innings eater when he’s healthy and that will help keep the bullpen fresh didn’t the stretch. He has pitched more than 200 innings six times during his career, including 211 1/3 last season, and can still pitch deep into games.

Although Santana hasn’t posted good numbers during the postseason, he can bring so much to the Brewers rotation. This team has made huge strides toward being a real contender in the National League. However, they have done little to address their rotation and Santana represents a cost-effective option.

The Crew will not be the only team kicking the tires on Santana. However, he is a perfect candidate to pass through waivers during August and an affordable rotation option.

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Although pitching hasn’t been the issue for the Brewers during this season, depth is something that’s invaluable. Milwaukee can use a player of Santana’s pedigree in the rotation as they make a push toward the postseason.

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