The 2018 MLB Trade Deadline Rumors linked the Milwaukee Brewers to a starting pitcher. Instead, they traded for more depth elsewhere and that is the main goal of the team: depth.
It does not matter where. The Milwaukee Brewers General Manager David Stearns created more infield and bullpen depth by acquiring Joakim Soria, Mike “Moose” Moustakas and Jonathan Schoop. The trades look confusing on paper.
However, Stearns’ acquisitions of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich also perplexed many this past offseason. But they look good now.
Half-way through 2018, Domingo Santana scuffled badly, Broxton continued to strikeout too often, and Brett Phillips got traded, Now, Stearns looks brilliant for adding Cain and Yelich.
Milwaukee Brewers Pitching Deeper Than Most Think
The popular voice that the Brewers need an ace starter to truly move the team towards a Championship might be true. However, who is to say Milwaukee does not have a deep rotation already?
Stearns made small off-season moves to fill out a starting rotation that brought the team one game shy of the playoffs in 2017. The 2018 rotation is deeper and better with added contributions from the likes of Jhoulys Chacin and Freddy Peralta.
The small market Brewers cannot deplete their entire farm system to remain competitive every year like Stearns wants. Milwaukee has to maintain many of its prospects to protect itself when they lose players to unrestricted free agency.
Therefore, if Stearns saw no true value in a trade for a starter in July, it is logical he did not risk the farm for a short window to make a championship push.
Instead, Stearns bolstered the Milwaukee Brewers’ depth in the infield and bullpen before the July 31 MLB Trade Deadline.
Again, on paper, it looked like the team had too many players per positions after some wild acquisitions. This time, Stearns seemed to give Manager Craig Counsell too many infielders and a position conundrum.
Also, where did Soria fit in a bullpen that already had a closer?
A few days into the season, Stearns’ team looks good as Counsell’s vision becomes clearer.
Soria Adds Quality Experience To Young Milwaukee Brewers Bullpen
Soria comes from the White Sox where he recently revitalized his career as a closer. The Milwaukee Brewers 2017 breakout closer, Corey Knebel, has a 2018 stint on the DL and is no more dominant than the combustible John Axford types that came before him.
Knebel sports a tremendous fastball and big curve, but he is not immune from losing control and giving up too many walks and home runs. The Brewers fared well while he missed time on the DL.
Adding Soria gives Counsell that added closer to team with 2018 All-Stars Jeremy Jeffress and Josh Hader.
Furhtermore, Soria is almost as efficient against right-handed bats as Hader is against left-handed bats. Soria provides extra depth for a bullpen that will need to be the star while the Brewers make a playoff run with no true ace to eat innings every fifth day in the rotation.
Last season’s Houston Astros and the 2015 World Series Kasnas City Royals proved the power of deep bullpens.
That leaves the Brewers and Counsell’s loaded infield conundrum.
Milwaukee Brewers Loaded Infield Frees Up Braun, Arcia
What Stearns did to the Brewers makes no sense on paper. Arcia, Jonathan Villar, and a slew of subs and space fillers failed to produce at the plate for Counsell during the first half of 2018.
But Stearns started out the trade season by acquiring a power-hitting third baseman, Mike “Moose” Moustakas. The Brewers already had Travis Shaw playing third base and batting cleanup.
Shaw had reasonably good stats too. The only player on the Brewers with more home runs was first baseman Jesus Aguilar, which just happened to be Shaw’s other defensive position.
Rumors were that Shaw would play some second base, which would create a fearsome Brewers lineup that included Shaw, Moose, and Aguilar.
Then, however, Stearns traded for Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop. This addition made potential lineups more difficult to figure out.
Counsell Works Things Out For 2018 Brewers
Braun might never swing the bat like he did during his youth because of frequent, nagging injuries. Arcia, Milwaukee’s shortstop of the future, cannot get his bat going this year.
With the addition of Moose and Schoop, Counsell can now use Arcia as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement later in games by playing Schoop at shortstop and Shaw at second base.
Arcia is known as a very positive influence in the dugout as well. Keeping him on the 25-man roster helps the team chemistry, which Counsell feels is important.
Braun, meanwhile, can receive even more off-days to heal his body without the Brewers missing his bat in the lineup as much. If Braun stays healthy and becomes a consistent offensive threat again, that makes the Brewers lineup more dangerous.
Milwaukee has All-Star table-setters leading off for them. Cain and NL MVP candidate Yelich set up what is now a Brewers lineup that goes seven-deep with intimidating power-hitters.
Furthermore, Stearns helped the Brewers get better in the long view. Moose will become an unrestricted free agent after this year, but Schoop will be under control for 2019.
The Brewers top prospect Keston Huira is a second baseman, but he probably will not be ready for full-time MLB duty next season. Having Schoop on the roster for next season will give the Brewers a great seat warmer until Huira is ready.
The team also has Mauricio Dubon as a potential middle infielder of the future, Lucas Erceg at third base, and outfielder Corey Ray tearing it up in the minors because Stearns did not sell the farm for a starter.
Through shrewd acquisitions, Stearns continues to develop the kind of organizational depth that will make the Milwaukee Brewers annual contenders.