When the Milwaukee Brewers traded for pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., it seemed like a low-risk, high-reward move that would insert a veteran starter into the rotation in place of the injured Brandon Woodruff. Although his two outings with the team had mixed results, there was enough promise for fans to talk themselves into McCullers as a solid depth option in the bullpen.
That made the team's decision to designate the 32-year-old for assignment and ultimately cut him shocking, to say the least. But it also speaks to a broader notion of what's going on in the Brewers' front office and how their plans might play out over the next week.
The MLB Trade Deadline is on August 3rd, and the Brewers have been the talk of the town in the lead-up, with insiders suggesting Milwaukee will be taking an uncharacteristic "aggressive" approach. Milwaukee has two open roster spots and the deepest farm system in baseball, making them ripe for a change in the week ahead.
The Brewers cutting Lance McCullers Jr. tells us everything we need to know about their MLB Trade Deadline plans.
At this point, it would be genuinely shocking if the Brewers didn't make a deal at the deadline — a departure from expectations of years past. But Milwaukee and Los Angeles have spent all season trading first place in the National League, and the best record in baseball. The stars are aligning for the Brewers to finally assert themselves as a genuine postseason threat, but they're not going to get there without an aggressive approach.
Milwaukee still has a few problems staring it down. The first is the pitching rotation, which has proven itself as one of the best in the league, but remains untested when it comes to the Playoffs. It would be wise for them to acquire a seasoned talent to calm the rotation if the lights get too bright for these young guns. And with McCullers off the roster, there's a clear slot for another pitcher to enter the lineup for Milwaukee.
From an offensive perspective, it's hard to say what's next for the Brewers. There are some concerns over power hitting, but the defense has been so impactful that it's hard to imagine finding someone who could keep up with the level Milwaukee plays on that side of the field while also significantly upgrading the batting order. Nonetheless, it's a safe bet that Brewers GM and POBO, Matt Arnold, is canvassing the league for that player at a reasonable price.
The answers to our questions will be answered soon — we just need to be patient in the meantime.
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