Jun 17, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; A detail view of a San Diego Padres hat on a glove in the dugout in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Re-Examining Brewers-Padres Controversial Blockbuster Trade

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 2:01 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers have made a lot of trades over the year, but all have been looked at favorably.

This year, Milwaukee has had a mixed bag of luck. The Brewers traded Devin Williams ahead of the worst season of his big league career and got an infielder that can be a core piece for years in Caleb Durbin. That's a winner of a deal. The Brewers also got Quinn Priester who has shown he can be a rotation staple as well for years, another win.

On the negative side this season, the Brewers traded for Shelby Miller but he will miss the rest of the season. It was a really good deal on paper. But, sometimes injuries are just bad luck. That's the nature of the game.

You win some and you lose some.

Taking a look back at one of the most surprising deals in recent memory

Typically, it takes a bit before you truly know how a team did in a trade. For the Durbin trade, that's quick. Durbin has been great this year, Williams has had a tough year and also is heading to free agency. There wasn't any long-term prospect in the deal to complicate matters years from now.

The Brewers are well on their way to win another National League Central title, their third in a row if and when they clinch the top spot. The thing that is funny enough is that this streak has come after one of the biggest deals in recent memory for the organization.

Back in 2022, the Brewers shocked the baseball world by trading Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres. He was considered among the top relievers in baseball at the time and still is a few years later. He had a 1.28 ERA for San Diego in 2023, 3.80 ERA with the Houston Astros in 2024, and has a 2.05 ERA so far this season. He's a superstar.

Milwaukee got Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, Esteury Ruiz, and Robert Gasser in the deal. Of this group, only Gasser remains in the Brewers' organization. The deal itself may not have necessarily panned out in the Brewers' favor and caused some negative feelings at the time. But, Milwaukee clearly knows how to build rosters. The trade of Hader opened the door for Williams to be the closer and then his success led to the trade to New York for Durbin.

It's funny how things work out, but since the deal, the Brewers have just kept winning.

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

More must-reads: