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The Milwaukee Brewers have charged up the standings in recent weeks. They have won 22 of their last 30 games to tie the Chicago Cubs for the top record in the National League Central. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Brewers could deal Nestor Cortes Jr to improve their hitting. USA Today's Bob Nightengale has the latest ahead of Thursday's deadline.
“The Milwaukee Brewers will start listening to offers for starter Nestor Cortes, who completed his last rehab start,” Nightengale wrote.
Cortes was part of the package the Brewers got from the New York Yankees when they traded closer Devin Williams. The lefty starter has made only two starts, allowing eight earned runs in eight innings. He has been on the injured list ever since with a flexor strain in his left elbow.
Cortes is one of many MLB-caliber starters on the Brewers' roster. And with his contract expiring at the end of the year, they could flip him for an infielder. Considering their postseason failures in recent years, Milwaukee should be looking to patch every hole in its roster before October.
Despite picking him up from the Yankees, the Brewers simply do not need Cortes in their rotation. With Freddy Peralta, Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Jose Quintana, Quinn Priester, and Brandon Woodruff, they have the arms. But Joey Ortiz has been disappointing at shortstop this year, leaving a gaping hole in their infield.
The Yankees already got both Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario, two infielders on the market. But the Brewers could land the biggest name with Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona may want Cortes if they dump both Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen before the deadline.
Yoan Moncada and Ke'Bryan Hayes are the other third basemen on the market that the Brewers could pick up before the deadline.
