Fresh off a 6-4 stint in their last 10 games, the Milwaukee Brewers are your clubhouse leaders in the National League Central division. In a two-club race, the Brewers need to make moves at this year’s MLB Trade Deadline to ensure they stay ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the divisional race.

Led by manager Craig Counsell, the Brewers have consistently boasted one of the league’s best pitching staffs, and this season is no different. From Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff as rotational stalwarts to Josh Hader and Devin Williams forming a lights-out 1-2 punch to close out games, to unexpected options like Aaron Ashby and Hoby Milner playing key roles, this staff is strong from top to bottom.

Their hitting is what is the biggest issue that needs addressing at this year’s trade deadline, and there are plenty of bats out there for them to acquire. But GM David Stearns is not one to play with the big boys in terms of shipping out high-profile prospects all that often, so playing in the dark-horse area of the market is where he earns his keep.

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Brewers Sneaky Trade Deadline Targets

Christian Walker
1B – Arizona

As a 31-year-old first baseman, who has two more years of arbitration eligibility left, Christian Walker is a great buy-low look for a team like the Brewers who want more power off of the bench. Only six home runs away from tying his career high, Walker’s 23 bombs help his poor .204 average look a bit better.

The Diamondbacks are not wanting to wait much longer for Walker to put it all together, and he certainly is too old for the non-competitive timeline the franchise is currently on. As for the Brewers, Rowdy Tellez has been handling the starting 1B role, but a right-handed power complement to Tellez’s left-handed bat would help round out their lineup.

Walker should not command much on the market (even with his control lasting past this season), so a lower-level prospect or two likely would do the trick for Arizona to accept.

Noah Syndergaard
SP – Los Angeles (AL)

Noah Syndergaard is no longer the pitcher that we used to know, as injuries have more than caught up to him. But with his first season away from the Mets, Syndergaard has shown that he still has some left in the tank, making him a perfect fit for what Stearns looks for at the deadline.

The Angels have been out of the hunt ever since their unexpected collapse cost Joe Maddon his job, and the fire sale likely will be ramping up soon. The Brewers would be smart to get a jump on the competition and snag Syndergaard, who is a big name that could bring some fan interest to the team for the dog days of the season.

Syndergaard’s 80 innings so far this year have produced a 3.83 ERA, which is a welcomed sight in his first semi-normal season in a while. If the Brewers want to bring in some rotational help with Freddy Peralta and Adrian Houser’s injuries, Syndergaard would be a smart target.

Daniel Bard
CP – Colorado

What does a team with an already-stellar bullpen look to do at the deadline? Add more talent to their bullpen.

The Brewers love to accentuate their positives with other positives, and adding an option like Daniel Bard from the Rockies would fit that situation perfectly. As their closer, Bard has produced electric numbers this season (21 saves, 1.91 ERA) and has a ton of experience in postseason situations.

His return from being away from the game since 2013 started with the Rockies back in 2020, and Bard has been a steady option out of the pen for Colorado the past two-plus seasons. For Milwaukee to have a chance to shut down high-octane offensive attacks in the postseason, having a three-headed monster in the backend of their bullpen, like when they had Corey Knebel a few seasons back, adding Bard would be perfect.