This is not an overreaction piece. This is a reality piece. Even before the Milwaukee Brewers began the season 1-5, my predictions had them finishing fourth in the NL Central. Their starting offense is above average when its clicking, but there’s absolutely no depth. The same can be said for the starting rotation and bullpen. The Brewers have a chance to be really bad in 2015, and if they find themselves out of playoff contention before the July 31 trade deadline, they would be in prime position to unload a handful of players.
Here are the players most likely to be moved.
3B Aramis Ramirez
This season is not only the last year on Ramirez’s contract, but also his last year in Major League Baseball as he is set to retire at the end of 2015. That makes him the perfect trade candidate for a team looking for some offense late in the season. Ramirez’s isolated power has declined in three straight seasons, but he’s still a guy who can provide some pop. He hit 15 home runs in 133 games in 2014, and would be an ideal fit for an American League team as a designated hitter. His defense has never been great and his old age (36) is only shining a brighter light on his limited range. The AL is where he belongs to finish up his career.
Ramirez will make $14 million this season, but I can’t imagine a team taking on more than $3 million of his contract. The Brewers will have to eat the rest, which is something they should have no problem doing.
SP Kyle Lohse
Lohse is in the last year of a three-year, $33 million contract, and could be the first to go if the Brewers hit the sell button. At 36, he might not have a lot of years left on the table, but Father Time hasn’t officially caught up to him yet. He’s posted a sub-3.60 ERA in four consecutive seasons, and could be a nice addition to a team looking for rotation help to aid in its playoff hunt.
The Brewers aren’t going to re-sign Lohse, so keeping him around for the duration of the season is pointless. If the Brewers are out of playoff contention by early July, expect Lohse to be on the move.
RP Jonathan Broxton
Broxton is still a relatively young guy at 30 years old, but isn’t the hard-throwing, shut-down closer he used to be. His fastball velocity has been decreasing as well as his strikeouts, but he’s more than capable of taking the ball and shutting down hitters down in medium-leverage situations. The Brewers acquired Broxton in 2014 to help their playoff cause, and I see no reason why other teams won’t try to make a move for him this season. Relievers play a huge role in postseason play, so the interest should be at least somewhat strong.
The Brewers would be more than happy to unload Broxton if any team bites and is willing to take on some of his $9 million salary. What makes Broxton even more appealing is that he has a club option in 2016 or a $1 million buyout. Broxton will not be returning to Milwaukee in ’16, so if the Brewers don’t trade him, a buyout is the only alternative.
OF Gerardo Parra
Parra is set to become a free agent in 2016, and while he’s a star in the outfield, he’s probably not a starter anymore. He’s still a fantastic bat to have off the bench if you’re a manager, and like I said, could serve as a late-inning defensive replacement. Plus, being a left-handed hitter never hurts.
Aside from Lohse, Parra is the most likely to be traded before season’s end. There’s almost no risk involved, and the acquiring team probably wouldn’t have to pay much of his $6.4 million contract. With that being said, though, the Brewers may think about re-signing him in order to strengthen their historically weak bench. If they finally decide to give up on Logan Schafer, the Brewers could bring Parra back on a two-year deal if they don’t mind putting up a decent amount of cash to a reserve player.
