The Milwaukee Brewers keep piling up wins and runs, but the one thing missing is still impossible to ignore: power. Entering play on July 27, Milwaukee sits second in MLB in record and run differential, yet it also ranks last in the majors in team home runs. The offense has still produced 535 runs, fifth-most in baseball, but it has done so without the kind of consistent pop that usually plays in October.
That’s the real issue here. The Brewers have built their attack around getting on base and using speed to create pressure, and that formula has worked beautifully in the regular season.
They’ve won three straight division titles and again hold a comfortable lead in the NL Central. But postseason baseball is a different animal.
Against elite pitching and aggressive bullpen management, stringing together hits gets a lot harder, and teams often need one big swing to change a game. That’s where Milwaukee’s lack of thump becomes a legitimate concern.
If the Brewers want to address that before the trade deadline, third base looks like the obvious place to start. Even with Joey Ortiz’s recent hot streak included, Milwaukee ranks dead last in slugging percentage at the position.
Ortiz, David Hamilton, and the since-released Luis Rengifo have combined for just eight homers and a .320 slugging percentage. That’s a glaring hole for a team with October ambitions.
One name that fits the need is Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes. The Astros and Brewers have already completed two trades this month, and another deal before the August 3 deadline would not be out of the question. Paredes is expected to draw plenty of interest if Houston, which is 52-55 on July 27, decides to sell.
Paredes agreed to a one-year, $9.35 million deal this past winter to avoid arbitration, and the contract includes a $13.35 million club option for 2027, assuming he doesn’t finish top 10 in MVP voting, which looks rather unlikely at this point in time. He’s not a perfect fit for Milwaukee’s usual preferences.
The Brewers value defense and baserunning, and those aren’t Paredes’ calling cards. But his bat would immediately change the conversation at third base.
He’s slugging .430 with 14 homers, which would be a major upgrade over what Milwaukee has gotten there so far.
He also brings traits Milwaukee tends to like at the plate. Paredes doesn’t strike out much, chases less than the average MLB hitter, and is highly selective, with a below-league-average swing% backing that up.
His power is heavily pull-based, with all of his home runs going to straight-away left field, and he consistently ranks near the top of the league in “pull AIR %.” Still, the production has been real: he has averaged more than 22 home runs per season over the last four campaigns.
The question is price. In a normal market, Paredes probably wouldn’t be too expensive, but this deadline has a lot of buyers and not many infield options.
That could push the cost higher than Milwaukee would want. He’s not the kind of player the Brewers should move a top 100 prospect or a controllable starting pitcher for, but if the asking price is a few mid-tier prospects or a redundant big-league piece, that’s a conversation worth having.
Milwaukee may have bigger deadline priorities, including a No. 3 starter or another high-leverage reliever. Even so, if the Brewers are serious about fixing their power shortage, Paredes belongs on the list.
In Other News...
Brewers Fans May Not Like Where Andrew Vaughn Is Entering Talks
The Phillies are shopping for help before the trade deadline, and their wish list is broad enough to touch starting pitching, the bullpen and a right-handed bat. One name that has surfaced in that search is Andrew Vaughn, who has quietly rebuilt some value since coming back from a left hamate fracture and is again drawing attention as a power option at first base.
For Milwaukee, the wrinkle is less about what Vaughn has done lately than what he represents in a market where controllable bats tend to carry extra weight. Philadelphia could also reshuffle its own lineup if it lands a first baseman with some thump, but Vaughns appeal comes with a cost, since he is not just a rental and would require more than a short-term rental price. That kind of conversation is exactly the sort that can complicate deadline talks fast. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Could Land An Elite Arm Without Touching Their Top Prospects
The Brewers are still in the pitching market as the trade deadline approaches, and the chatter around them has only intensified with Detroit starter Tarik Skubal already tied to their search. ESPNs Paul Hembekides added another layer by floating a speculative deal that would give Milwaukee a high-end arm without forcing the club to dip into its top five prospects, the kind of framework that naturally gets attention in a system the Brewers have worked hard to protect.
What makes the idea interesting is the balance it would strike: Milwaukee would be paying with prospect depth rather than its premium young talent, which is exactly the sort of move front offices love to explore when they want impact without emptying the cupboard. It is still just a proposal, not a confirmed path, but it does raise the question of how aggressive the Brewers want to be if they decide their deadline answer needs to come from outside the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Are Closing In On A Pitching Decision Fans Saw Coming
Brandon Sproat has given the Brewers enough flashes this season to keep the conversation alive, but not enough consistency to quiet it. The right-hander has shown potential in several starts, yet the same issues keep surfacing: his velocity tends to fade as outings go on, and the swing-and-miss stuff that should play up his above-average pitches has not been there often enough to make him a reliable starter.
That is why the next move around the rotation matters so much for Milwaukee, especially with the trade deadline approaching and the club still looking for another starter to add depth. The Brewers have been trying to stabilize the front of the staff while sorting through the rest of the options behind it, and Sproats role is one of the more interesting decisions hanging over that process. [Read more 🡒]