The Milwaukee Brewers have no shortage of arms in their rotation, but the case for adding one more veteran keeps getting stronger.
Jacob Misiorowski has been the headliner, and his numbers back it up: a 1.47 ERA in 17 starts with a league-leading 156 strikeouts. Kyle Harrison has been just as impressive in his own way, posting a 2.82 ERA across 16 starts while going 8-1.
Brandon Sproat has started to find his footing, Shane Drohan has held his own, and Logan Henderson is close to returning after missing time with a back injury. Before landing on the Injured List, Henderson put up a 2.74 ERA in five starts and is expected back this week.
Even with all that talent, Milwaukee still has a clear need for another established starter while Brandon Woodruff remains on the Injured List again.
That’s why ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel naming the Brewers among the best fits for Boston Red Sox three-time All-Star Sonny Gray stands out. In their breakdown, they listed Milwaukee alongside the Braves, Padres, Cubs and White Sox as a possible landing spot for the right-hander.
“No. 11.
Sonny Gray, RHP, Boston Red Sox,” Passan and McDaniel wrote. “Chance of being traded: 25 percent.
Rest-of-season impact: Moderate. Years of control: A 2027 mutual option for $30 million with a $10 million buyout. ...
“On top of the $10 million or so he'd be owed in salary for the final two months -- around the same as Skubal -- Gray's restructured contract after his trade from St. Louis to Boston includes a $10 million buyout on a $30 million mutual option for 2027. ... "Best fits: Braves, Padres, Cubs, Brewers, White Sox."
Gray checks a lot of the boxes Milwaukee would want. He’s pitching like a Cy Young Award candidate in the American League, with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts and a 10-1 record.
He’s also already done damage in the National League Central during stints with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.
The one obvious wrinkle is the contract. Gray’s deal carries that $10 million buyout if the $30 million mutual option for 2027 isn’t exercised, which adds another layer to any trade discussion.
Still, the profile makes sense for the Brewers. Gray is a 14-year big league veteran who can take the ball and pile up innings, and that kind of presence would fit a young rotation that needs more certainty with Woodruff sidelined. If Boston makes him available, Milwaukee would have every reason to take a serious look.
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Former Red Sox Infielder Hits An Early Setback In Milwaukee
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For the Red Sox, Hamiltons latest step matters because his path to Milwaukee began in the six-player trade that sent him out of Boston, and he also happens to be a player the Brewers know well from before his time with the Sox. His latest setback leaves another small thread of that deal in motion, even if the bigger picture around the trade is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]