The Milwaukee Brewers are sitting atop the NL Central, and look to be one of the best teams in all of Major League Baseball this season with the success of Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison.
But that doesn't mean this team is free from needing to fix some issues at the MLB trade deadline on August 3 later this summer.
According to former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Brewers revealed to him that their biggest trade deadline need is one that many teams around MLB will have this summer: the bullpen.
Brewers reveal biggest trade deadline need to ex-MLB GM
"However, they believe that the bullpen is their biggest need, and another big bat is their secondary one," Bowden writes.
The 45-26 Brewers are trotting out a few nice relievers this season. Aaron Ashby has a 2.80 ERA and a 10-0 record this season with 61 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched across 33 outings this season.
Abner Uribe has a 3.51 ERA and has been a solid option, though closer Trevor Megill has a 4.15 ERA and has struggled a little bit this season.
Grant Anderson has a 2.67 ERA, Chad Patrick has a 3.16 ERA, and Joel Kuhnel has a 4.34 ERA. This isn't a terrible bullpen overall.
But if the Brewers could add a new closer, like an Aroldis Chapman, they would be much better off than they are right now.
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With some elite starting pitching, adding a new elite closer or reliever would be a huge help for this Brewers' pitching staff this season. Chapman of the Boston Red Sox is the best possible trade option this summer for the Brewers.
But the issue is that many teams around baseball will be scouring the market for bullpen help, and it won't be easy to land the best relievers by the 2026 trade deadline.
If the Brewers can land a quality reliever, then they might begin to explore a big bat, which could be a new third baseman to replace David Hamilton, or a new outfielder to take over for Sal Frelick.
For now, the Brewers believe that the bullpen is their top priority, and a new slugger would be second on their list of trade deadline needs this season.
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