Brewers In Danger Of MLB Trade Deadline Colossal Failure

Aug 2, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers equipment at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brewers In Danger Of MLB Trade Deadline Colossal Failure

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Aug 3, 2026 5:00 PM ET

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The 2026 MLB trade deadline is in the final stretch, and the Milwaukee Brewers have mostly sat on the sidelines.

Though the Brewers entered Monday with the best record in baseball, their inactivity in the trade market could come back to bite them in October and the deadline should be viewed as a failure for the front office.

Milwaukee is in dire need of a starting pitcher and was linked to the likes of former Brewers All-Star Freddy Peralta, Robbie Ray and Tarik Skubal, among others, before Monday's deadline.

Another top-notch arm on the market was Kevin Gausman, though the two-time All-Star had Milwaukee on his no-trade list prior to landing with the Chicago Cubs.

The Brewers didn't completely sit out trade season, acquiring former All-Star Lance McCullers Jr. and minor league pitcher Colton Gordon in July from the Houston Astros and later landing catcher Bo Naylor and reliever Codi Heuer from the Cleveland Guardians. McCullers was released just 11 days after the deal with Houston.

Milwaukee is also reportedly acquiring starting pitcher Dustin May and reliever JoJo Romero from the St. Louis Cardinals.

But with Peralta and Ray heading to the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres, respectively, and Skubal landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Gausman going to the Cubs, the Brewers' trade deadline was largely a disappointment.

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The reported acquisition of May will help Milwaukee's starting pitching depth and Romero gives the Brewers a much-needed additional lefty in the bullpen. Romero, notably, is currently on the 15-day injured list after undergoing an emergency appendectomy in mid-July.

The trade with the Cardinals isn't enough of a needle-mover for the Brewers to match their primary NL pennant competition's (the Dodgers) trade for Skubal.

Milwaukee didn't necessarily have to trade for the two-time reigning AL Cy Young award winner, but seeing Skubal go to Los Angeles is a gut punch.

Peralta or Ray would've been nice consolation prizes, but even with his previous lengthy Brewers career, the former still was sent elsewhere. Ray, meanwhil, would've been a bigger get than May to add to the rotation.

Perhaps worst of all, Gausman will now be suiting up for Milwaukee's main division competition.

The Brewers (69-42) are still in good shape in the NL Central, 6 1/2 games ahead of second-place Chicago (63-49), but unless general manager Matt Arnold has one late trick up his sleeve before the 6 p.m. ET deadline, Monday should be seen as a missed opportunity.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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