With the trade deadline creeping up fast, Brewers fans can let their minds wander to the biggest names on the board. Mason Miller and Tarik Skubal are the headline-grabbers, the kind of arms that make a front office dream big.
But Milwaukee does not need to force a blockbuster to make real noise. In fact, Matt Arnold would be smart to avoid paying top-dollar for either one. The Brewers can still come away from the deadline better than they were without emptying the cupboard for a superstar.
One obvious area of need is the bullpen’s left side. Aaron Ashby has put together a historic season, but he is the lone dependable southpaw in the mix right now. Angel Zerpa is done for the year after Tommy John surgery in May, and DL Hall is expected back soon, though the group could still use another left-handed option.
That makes Padres reliever Adrian Morejon a name worth circling. The 27-year-old earned his first All-Star nod in 2025 and has kept rolling this season. He has been overshadowed by Miller in 2026, but entered Tuesday with an 8-2 record, a 3.20 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 63 strikeouts over 56 1/3 innings in 49 appearances.
Another intriguing possibility is a familiar face. Freddy Peralta’s first season with the New York Mets has gone off the rails, and the Mets’ 45-62 record all but puts them in seller territory. A return to Milwaukee could make sense for both sides, especially with the Brewers chasing their first pennant since 1982.
Peralta has struggled in New York, going 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in 22 starts. But his track record in Milwaukee is hard to ignore.
In his Brewers career, he went 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 211 games, including 162 starts. He made two NL All-Star teams and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting last year.
If Houston slips further, Isaac Paredes could also become available. The Astros are 53-55 and only two games back of the Rangers in the AL West, so they are not ready to wave the white flag just yet. Still, if they do, Milwaukee should be in the mix for the two-time All-Star.
Paredes would give the Brewers something they badly need: power and flexibility. Milwaukee still sits last in MLB with 98 home runs, and while David Hamilton’s return from the injured list adds speed and depth, it does not solve the long-ball problem.
Paredes has already hit 14 homers and is on track for a fifth straight season with at least 19. That total would put him third on the Brewers right now, behind only Jake Bauers with 18 and Brice Turang with 15.
In Other News...
Brewers Finally Have A Better Sense Of Sal Frelicks Return
Sal Frelicks shoulder issue has given the Brewers a little more pause than they would have liked, but the picture is clearer now after the outfielder received a cortisone injection last week. Milwaukee said the soreness is in his right shoulder, and the club has been careful not to push him back too quickly while the team continues to enjoy a strong season.
Frelick has been out since leaving the Brewers first game after the All-Star break against the Marlins, and the wait has stretched long enough to make his absence a real part of the clubs outfield planning. For now, the Brewers are taking the patient route, with his return still projected for early to mid-August and no reason to force the issue before he is ready. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have A New October Threat To Worry About
The Brewers are already being sized up as a serious player in the Tarik Skubal market, and that alone says plenty about how they view the next phase of their roster. Skubal has been one of the most appealing arms on the board, with a 2.70 ERA and 3.0 bWAR in 15 starts this season, and Milwaukees interest fits a front office that has shown it is willing to think big when a difference-maker comes into view.
There will be no shortage of competition, either, with the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and Rays all expected to check in. For Milwaukee, the appeal goes beyond simply adding another frontline starter. The idea is to build something sturdier for October, potentially pairing Skubal with Jacob Misiorowski and giving the Brewers a kind of one-two punch that could change the way a future matchup with Los Angeles feels. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Suddenly Face A Bigger Lineup Question Than Fans Expected
A rough start to the West Coast trip arrived before the Brewers even took the field, with a long travel delay pushing back their arrival in California and adding another layer of inconvenience to a road swing that already had enough going on. The bigger concern, though, is the shape of the roster in the coming weeks, with Milwaukee still waiting on outfielder Sal Frelick as he works back from a shoulder injury and the club trying to navigate the outfield and bench mix without losing too much flexibility.
Frelick is expected back in early to mid-August, though a rehab assignment still appears likely before he can rejoin the lineup. In the meantime, the Brewers are sorting through the edges of the roster and the lineup card, where every available bat matters and every decision seems to have a ripple effect. The next few weeks should tell whether Milwaukee can hold things together until Frelick returns, or whether the club needs to keep adjusting on the fly. [Read more 🡒]