Milwaukee Brewers: Recent deadline trades for pitching

2018: Xavier Cedeno

Every team needs a lefty specialist, and with Dan Jennings not quite doing the job to playoff standards in August, the Milwaukee Brewers needed a guy to get left-handed hitters out. Where better to look than the Chicago White Sox? Xavier Cedeno was the answer, and the Brewers sent two more young prospects the White Sox way in Bryan Connell and Johan Dominguez.

Getting lefties out is exactly what Xavier Cedeno did in Milwaukee. He only gave up one earned run in his 15 regular season appearances with the Brewers. He didn’t strike out many hitters, only 6.8 per nine innings. It was also frustrating seeing him come in to face a lefty and walk him. His 3.4 walks per nine innings were slightly under his career average, but he has a history of being a bit wild. However, for the most part, he was able to do the job.

Either because of the walks or because the Colorado Rockies didn’t have enough lefties in their lineup to make lefty specialists worth it, he and Dan Jennings were both left off of the roster for the National League Division Series.

However, he was put on the roster for the NLCS and like Soria, he could not perform under the big lights. He was put in situations that set him up for success but was not able to capitalize.

In game one he gave up a hit to Yasmani Grandal who would come around to score, but he did get Joc Pederson out. In game 2 he faced Pederson again, gave up a single, and was immediately pulled. He had a good outing in game 5, getting two outs, but letting one inherited runner score on a groundout. In game seven, he gave up a hit to Max Muncy and was pulled.

Multiple times in the NLCS he was called to get one left-handed hitter out and was unable to do the job. He was not a positive for the Brewers in the series and led to disappointment. This trade had some good effects in the regular season but didn’t quite work out in the postseason.

The common theme the past two years is that the Brewers have made pretty good pitching acquisitions, but haven’t made a big enough splash to get them to the top of the mountain. Maybe 2019 will be the year that David Stearns pulls the trigger on a big name ace.