The Milwaukee Brewers got off to a slow start this season but have since turned things around. They now are tied with the Chicago Cubs for the best record in the National League and the NL Central lead.
After speculation earlier this season that the Brewers might trade players such as Freddy Peralta, they have decided that they will not be selling at the trade deadline. Instead, they have committed to buying.
Late on Monday afternoon, the Brewers made their first move, improving their catching depth in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Milwaukee is finalizing a trade to acquire Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jansen has been around for several years, having made his Major League debut in August of 2018 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was in Toronto until being traded to the Boston Red Sox at the 2024 deadline.
Last offseason, the Red Sox did not re-sign him, and he joined the Rays on a one-year, $8.5 million contract. However, the Rays have lost four consecutive games and fallen to the .500 mark.
Meanwhile, the Brewers remain hot and are clearly a strong contender in the National League. Jansen is hitting .204/.314/.389 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, a 1.8 WAR and a .703 OPS.
He brings power from the right side of the plate and is a solid defender. He won't spell William Contreras as the starting catcher, but could serve as a solid backup and play if the Brewers ever want to use Contreras as a designated hitter.
We'll see what comes next for Milwaukee.
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