After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with a tremendous first half of the season.
The club is 61-47 — 5.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 9.5 games in front of the last-place Chicago Cubs. Milwaukee's 55 wins at the All-Star Break were tied for the most in franchise history before the All-Star Break.
Despite this success, the team could use some reinforcements to maintain its high level of play throughout the season. The team was active in the trade market — acquiring starting pitcher Frankie Montas from the Cincinnati Reds and reliever Nick Mears from the Colorado Rockies — but did not pursue any blockbuster moves at the MLB trade deadline. With the deadline passed, here are two roster moves the Brewers must make in the second half of the season.
Call up 1B/DH Tyler Black from Triple-A
A Brewers team that was decidedly pitching-heavy last year has maintained its high standards in 2024 thanks to a more productive offense. The signing of Rhys Hoskins and the addition of rookie Jackson Chourio certainly helped, but it is difficult to look past Christian Yelich's renaissance. A .254 hitter since the start of 2020, Yelich raised his batting average to .315 this year, and his .909 OPS is the lefty's best since the 2019 season.
Unfortunately, back issues have sent Yelich to the IL for the second time in 2024 — with this trip promising to keep Milwaukee's star outfielder sidelined for much of the second half. The offense has not been the same since Yelich last suited up on July 23. In seven games since the Brewers have scored three or fewer runs on five occasions. Their average runs scored per game during this stretch is 3.6. That average is more than a full run lower than the club's season average of 4.7 runs scored per game.
Surprisingly, the club did not add any hitters at the trade deadline, deciding instead to acquire a trio of pitchers. With Yelich out for a sizeable stretch, the Brewers need an offensive boost.
Tyler Black is Milwaukee's number three prospect and is putting up a strong season at Triple-A Nashville. The 24-year-old is hitting .279 on the year with 10 homers, 50 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He also has 43 walks to just 57 strikeouts in 73 games, and his .843 OPS is third-best among Nashville Sounds players with at least 100 plate appearances.
Black has played both corner infield positions and spent time in the outfield during his minor league career, but his best defensive position is first base — which limits his fit with the current Brewers squad. Still, Milwaukee needs a jolt at the plate with Christian Yelich sidelined, and with the club's overall defensive versatility, manager Pat Murphy can find a way to insert Tyler Black's bat into the lineup.
Recall RP Kevin Herget from Triple-A
The Brewers need bullpen reinforcements, with Bryan Hudson, Rob Zastryzny, and Trevor Megill falling on the IL within the last week. Devin Williams is back after missing the first half of the season, and the team has deadline acquisitions Nick Mears and Tyler Jay, but the team could still use one more impactful reliever to take the pressure off the high-leverage arms.
33-year-old Kevin Herget has been phenomenal wherever he has pitched this season. The right-hander has a 2.38 ERA in 26 relief appearances at Triple-A with 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. At the MLB level, he has a 2.08 ERA across 8.2 innings pitched for the Brewers, with just four hits allowed.
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