Brewers Shakeup Explained: Why Milwaukee Flipped Nestor Cortes

The Milwaukee Brewers didn't make too many big moves ahead of the 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline, but they did solve one question.

This season, the Brewers went from having pretty much no starting pitching to having a surplus. There was a time early in the season when Freddy Peralta was the only healthy expected starter for Milwaukee. The Brewers entered the season with the rotation expected to feature Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Tobias Myers, Nestor Cortes, and José Quintana, while also having Aaron Civale in the mix.

Woodruff and Quintana began the season in the minors working their way back up. Cortes quickly got hurt and Myers was demoted. Civale also got traded. In response, the Brewers acquired Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox and got some great performances from Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, and eventually Jacob Misiorowski among others.

Now, the Brewers have a rotation anchored by Peralta, Woodruff, Quintana, Misiorowski, and Priester. Patrick and Henderson are still down in the minors.

There's significant depth in the rotation and because of this, Cortes became expendable. The Brewers sent him to the San Diego Padres shortly before the trade deadline for outfielder Brandon Lockridge. So, why Lockridge? He's a 28-year-old outfielder known for speed. In the minors this season, he has slashed .291/.408/.468 in 21 games. In the big leagues, he has slashed .216/.258/.261 in 47 games.

Right now, Jackson Chourio is injured and it already has been shared that Lockridge will join the big league club. The deal didn't seem big at the time, but Lockridge will provide more outfield depth for Milwaukee at a time it needs it while clearing a rotation logjam.