The Milwaukee Brewers are who they are because they win transactions on the margins.
When much of the Major League Baseball community questioned the Brewers for trading Isaac Collins and Nick Mears to the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, it’s highly doubtful the Milwaukee front office took the criticism to heart. Clearly, they saw a lot of things they liked in the 27-year-old left-hander.
After the trade was officially announced, the Brewers were bound to extoll the virtues of bringing in Zerpa, who might even become a starter at some point, depending on how the rest of the offseason shook out.
Why Brewers believe Zerpa is perfect addition
But in just three words, president of baseball operations Matt Arnold managed to sum up perfectly what quality Zerpa brought to the table that made Collins and Mears worthwhile expenses.
“Really big arm,” Arnold said, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
Zerpa has been a reliever for the Royals almost exclusively over the last three years. He posted a 4.18 ERA in 69 appearances this season, striking out just 58 batters in 64 innings. Clearly, the Brewers believe there are tweaks to be made that can unlock more potential.
Of course, Arnold didn’t limit his praise of Zerpa to a few words, as he revealed as well that his pitch combination was one the Brewers long thought would mesh well with their strong infield defense.
“A really good, power sinker/slider combination, and I think putting that in front of our defense is something we’re really excited about,” Arnold continued. “This guy has been able to put the ball on the ground at an elite level. He’s somebody we’ve tried to access for a long time.”
Collins finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, but was used off the bench in the postseason due to the Brewers’ outfield finally being healthy, and he went 0-for-9. Mears, meanwhile, was left off the roster for the NLCS.
Whether he starts or becomes a high-leverage weapon, Zerpa has the tools to make anyone who questioned the Brewers for this trade look foolish. But he’ll also be under pressure to do so, considering the nature of a two-for-one swap and the fact that Collins will likely play every day in KC.
