Milwaukee has to know what they’d be getting into…
The Milwaukee Brewers could undoubtedly use some offensive upgrades, but it’s hard to determine where they can find them.
Because the Brewers are not expected to spend anywhere close to nine figures in free agency, they would either be shopping in the bargain aisle on the open market or looking at trades for players not yet signed to expensive contracts.
A pair of baseball insiders recently named the Brewers as a potential trade suitor for a relatively inexpensive All-Star infielder, but that sounds a lot better in a few words than it actually would be in practice.
Brewers a trade fit for Phillies’ Alec Bohm?
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan named Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, a 2024 All-Star who struggled to regain that form this past season, as a potential trade fit for the Brewers, as well as a handful of other teams this winter.
“Bohm being dealt could depend on the Phillies’ other moves,” McDaniel and Passan wrote. “If they miss out on Kyle Schwarber and pivot to Alex Bregman, Bohm is as good as gone. If they spend their money elsewhere, they still could move him and either acquire a stopgap at third or run with top prospect Aidan Miller.
“In a winter of change in Philadelphia, Bohm is among the likeliest of Phillies not to return. … Team fits: Brewers, (Seattle) Mariners, (Pittsburgh) Pirates, (Los Angeles) Angels.”
McDaniel and Passan also assigned Bohm a 50% chance to be traded, so he’s clearly there for the taking if anyone wants him. But why should the Brewers take the plunge?
Ironically enough, Milwaukee also has a former third-overall pick with one year of team control remaining in Andrew Vaughn, and he’s bound to be cheaper in arbitration than whatever Bohm cost. And unless they’re willing to move Caleb Durbin from third base to shortstop, Bohm’s natural position isn’t particularly up for grabs in Milwaukee.
In a vacuum, could adding Bohm’s slightly above-average bat to the lineup make Milwaukee a bigger threat? It’s honestly not a slam dunk, and that’s probably cause enough to pass on this idea.
