Brewers urged by MLB insider to go 'all-in' at trade deadline like Cubs did in 2016

1 hour ago 3

The Milwaukee Brewers are in first place in the NL Central coming out of the All-Star break, but this team needs to figure out a way to get a bit better.

As good as the pitching staff and offense have been at times this year, there is still room for improvement. The MLB trade deadline could be a great opportunity to improve the roster, but the Brewers aren't typically a team that goes all-in.

However, MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today is urging the Brewers to go "all-in" this deadline, calling on Milwaukee to follow the lead of their division rival, the Chicago Cubs, and what they did at the 216 MLB trade deadline.

Brewers urged to follow similar plan to Cubs in 2016 at trade deadline: all-in

"So, in the famous words of Theo Epstein when he acquired closer Aroldis Chapman for the Cubs in 2016 to take them to where they hadn't gone since 1908, 'If not now, when?' This is the year the Brewers should go all in," Nightengale writes.

While it might not sound great to follow the lead of a division rival, in this scenario, it's exactly what the Brewers should be doing.

This team has what it takes to make a deep postseason run as it is right now. But to get over the massive hump that is the Los Angeles Dodgers, they need to splurge a bit.

Add another starting pitcher to pair with Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison. Acquire a back-end reliever to potentially close out games for the team in October.

MORE: Why Astros are trading Lance McCullers to the Brewers

Even with some offensive upgrades, whether it's in the outfield or at shortstop and/or third base, the Brewers should be looking to upgrade their roster this summer with a blockbuster deal or two.

They already traded for Lance McCullers Jr., but that kind of trade isn't going to be enough to win them the NLCS. They really need to land a big fish or two, especially in the rotation.

The Cubs splurged at the 2016 MLB trade deadline, and that clearly worked, as they won the World Series that same year. It's a risk for the Brewers, but with their young and talented team, now is the time to go all-in.

It should be now or never for the Brewers, as this version of the team has all they need to make a deep postseason run, and a World Series title could be within reach if they get just a bit more aggressive.