Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn dumps water on designated hitter Christian Yelich after the victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Brewers Praised For 'Deal Of The Year', Compared To Muhammad Ali

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Colin Keane | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers' 2025 season is a story of true grit.

After a rough start to the campaign, they've become the greatest force to be reckoned with in Major League Baseball. What’s more, Milwaukee didn’t add much before the trade deadline. While other teams made big splashes just before August 1, Milwaukee made quieter moves that didn't seem like much at the time. But the thing is, their key move happened earlier in June.

MLB insider lauds Brewers, makes surprising comparison

Bob Nightengale of USA Today captured the magic of the Brewers on Sunday, comparing Milwaukee to one of the greatest athletes of all time. “Has there ever been a team emulating Muhammad Ali’s rope-a-dope strategy than the Brewers?” Nightengale wrote.

“These guys not only lost the first four games of the season, but were absolutely humiliated, outscored, 47-15. … These days, well, they’re the best team in baseball – by a longshot – even though their trade deadline was an absolute snoozer.”

“Since the trade deadline, the Brewers have lost only one a game, setting a franchise-record with 14 consecutive victories while going 29-4, boat-racing the Cubs and everyone else in the NL Central,” Nightengale continued. “Who knew that their June 13 trade with the White Sox for struggling first baseman Andrew Vaughn for starter Aaron Civale would turn out to deal of the year? Vaughn has been a savior replacing injured first baseman Rhys Hoskins, hitting .343 with a 1.051 OPS and nine homers and 35 RBIs in his first 29 games.”

When the Brewers acquired Vaughn, it seemed like a move to punk the disgruntled Civale more than anything else. Civale had requested a trade after being moved to the bullpen, and Milwaukee didn’t waste any time ridding their magical, team-first culture of such a mindset. In a trade that appeared to say, ‘Have fun with your me-first mentality on a losing team, where it belongs!’ the Brewers sent Civale packing to Chicago without much hesitation following his request.

At the time, Vaughn coming back in the deal looked like the definition of taking a flier on a guy. Vaughn was hitting .189 this season with the White Sox, and Milwaukee saw him as a change-of-scenery candidate.

The rest is history, as alluded to by Nightengale. Vaughn’s explosion in Milwaukee since the trade is a testament to his talent but also the Brewers’ culture, within which everyone seems to maximize their production.

It’s a culture that Civale’s mentality didn’t mesh with, but one that has become wholly allergic to losing.

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

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