The Milwaukee Brewers offense has been the cause of a lot of discontent in recent years. This year’s offense is inconsistent, frustrating and dependent on the long ball with low averages up and down the lineup. It's something the team should look to address ahead of the trade deadline.
One prime target is Nationals first baseman Josh Bell.
Bell would immediately slide into the middle of the Brewers’ order. He has played exclusively at first base this year but did play corner outfield spots last year. Regardless, Bell isn’t a great defender and that's not why the Brewers would be adding him. In addition, the club has the designated hitter role available to it now. That might cause Andrew McCutchen to play more in the field, but that wouldn't be as cumbersome with Bell adding a dynamic hitter to the lineup. He has a career 122 OPS+ and a 162-game average of 26 runs above replacement.
Bell, a switch hitter, has been fantastic at the plate in 2022. He is hitting .304/.386/.491 with 12 homers and 47 RBI. He has a 154 OPS+ and 3.1 WAR according to Baseball Reference. He also is hitting .276 with RISP.
Another positive with his .877 OPS is he doesn’t strike out a lot. Bell has struck out just 50 times while walking 40 times in 316 at-bats. He would bring an overall offensive mix of power, clutch hitting, discipline and low K rate, all things this Brewers team needs. Also, he hits well from both sides of the plate. He is hitting .289 with five homers in just 114 at-bats from the right side. From the left side Bell is hitting .312.
Bell is a rental and will be a free agent after the season. While it is nice to acquire a guy with team control of more than just a few months, Bell's impact negates those concerns. It also makes him cheaper to acquire. Because he would likely only be in Milwaukee for a few months, the Brewers wouldn’t have to surrender a top prospect in all likelihood.
Bell is an ideal fit to an offense that needs a guy who has a proven track record of driving in runs while also making contact consistently. He presence in the lineup would also allow other players to slide into more natural roles.
The Brewers’ championship window is now and a move for Bell is the kind teams in the Brewers' position need to make. He seems to be the perfect fit for this lineup. Bell is a legit middle of the order bat. He has power but doesn’t strike out much unlike many hitters in the current lineup. Getting a hitter like Bell for a limited prospect package seems like a rare opportunity to add a well-rounded hitter to the lineup with an elite starting rotation under team control. Josh Bell would be a perfect trade deadline addition.
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