The Milwaukee Brewers are off to a great start to begin the 2023 season. If they continue to perform well, they will be positioned to be buyers at the Aug. 1 trade deadline. It’s hard to find an obvious weak spot in their roster, but relievers tend to be among the most popular players dealt through trade.
As the roster currently stands, Hoby Milner is the only left-handed relief pitcher in the bullpen, which means that the Brew Crew could look to add another south paw to their bullpe. They have Justin Wilson stashed on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, but they could look to add a veteran player. Aaron Loup from the Los Angeles Angels could be that guy.
At 35 years old and with 12 years of MLB experience, Loup is still going strong. He is currently in the final year of a two-year, $17 million contract that he earned after posting a 0.95 ERA in 2021 as a member of the New York Mets. His base salary for 2023 is $7.5 million and he has a club option for the same dollar amount attached to the 2024 season. By the time the trade deadline rolls around, the Brewers would only be responsible for a portion of his salary.
Performance-wise, he had a 3.84 ERA over 65 appearances in 2022. He does not have overpowering stuff on the mound, but he excels at keeping the baseball in the ballpark and getting results. In addition to being a second left-handed option, his track record of success would be valuable to a relatively unproven Brewers bullpen. The biggest question is if the Angels will be buyers or sellers at this year’s deadline.
Proposed Trade:
Milwaukee Brewers receive:
- LHP Aaron Loup
Los Angeles Angels receive:
- INF Freddy Zamora
Last season, the Brewers traded for Trevor Rosenthal at the deadline. The cost to acquire Rosenthal, who was a rental, was their 19th-ranked outfield prospect Tristan Peters. This proposal follows a similar structure by surrendering their 22nd-ranked prospect in Freddy Zamora to acquire Loup.
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