After the drama of an offseason that included the departure of franchise cornerstones Corbin Burnes and Craig Counsell, the Milwaukee Brewers have responded with one of the best starts in franchise history. The club is 48-33 — 6.5 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central and 10.5 games in front of the last-place Chicago Cubs.
Despite this success, the team could use some reinforcements to maintain their high level of play throughout the season. We outline the perfect MLB trade deadline for the Brewers as the club looks to strengthen its squad for the playoff push.
Acquire starting pitcher Erick Fedde from the Chicago White Sox
The Brewers are no strangers to adding pitchers from the KBO League in South Korea. The club signed Josh Lindblom on a three-year deal in 2020 after he won the KBO equivalent of the MVP and Cy Young Award in 2019. Lindblom's time in Milwaukee was short and unsuccessful. The right-hander posted a 6.39 ERA in 62 innings pitched across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He has not pitched in the Majors since.
The White Sox have experienced better luck this season with Erick Fedde. The right-hander spent the 2023 season in the KBO, earning the same MVP-Cy Young combo that Lindblom won four years earlier. His transition back to the United States has been much smoother. Fedde has a 3.23 ERA through 17 starts with 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a career-best 2.2 walks per nine frames. Opponents are batting just .186 against a revamped curveball now classified as a sweeper and .202 against Fedde's changeup that has become a key part of his arsenal. Fedde threw his changeup just 3.6% of the time in 2022, but his usage is up to 20% this year.
With all the attention in the South Side of Chicago on ace Garrett Crochet, Erick Fedde a strong but affordable trade target for a Brewers team that loves to fly under the radar.
Trade for Tampa Bay Rays relievers Kevin Kelly and Jason Adam
Brewers relievers have thrown a lot of innings this season — the second-most in baseball, to be exact. This is a byproduct of a Milwaukee starting rotation that has not pitched deep into games. The Crew is averaging 4.7 innings per start this season and has already seen 14 pitchers start a game in 2024. That total is greater than in any other season in franchise history.
Adding starting pitching is a must, but the team does not have the resources to add three high-level starting pitchers. The club can lean on its strength—a bullpen with a 3.19 ERA on the year. Relievers are much cheaper acquisitions than starting pitchers, and the Brewers need additions to a pen that is starting to show signs of fatigue.
Kevin Kelly is a ground ball pitcher who ranks among the best in the MLB in hard-hit and walk rates, while Jason Adam provides elite swing-and-miss stuff. Both players would be ideal additions to a Milwaukee relief corps needing one or two more shutdown arms.
Trade for Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi
Like the Rays, the Blue Jays are another solid squad with the unfortunate curse of playing in a stacked AL East. The Jays are 13.5 games back in the division, pushing them toward “seller” status ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi is one of the Toronto players who could be on the trade block. The left-hander has struggled to find consistency this season but still has a 4.00 ERA on the year and is maintaining the lowest walk rate of his career.
The Japanese pitcher would be another solid addition to a depleted Milwaukee Brewers rotation.
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