MLB rumors: 5 teams who should trade for Noah Syndergaard

2. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers are tied for first in the NL Central going into Wednesday, with a pitching staff that has the fifth-most strikeouts in MLB but is broadly mediocre (4.57 team ERA; 4.69 starter’s ERA, 4.43 ERA bullpen ERA). That level of pitching simply won’t play well deep in October, and the Chicago Cubs will add Craig Kimbrel to their lagging bullpen at some point soon.

The Brewers seem to be in the conversation for Madison Bumgarner, as many teams are even if the San Francisco Giants appear set to keep him for the duration of a losing season if their price is not met. But a pivot to other starting pitching options on the trade market, potentially including Syndergaard, would be easily done if the sweepstakes for Bumgarner gets too competitive or rich.

Even more than the Cubs adding Kimbrel as they did, adding Syndergaard would be a single division race-tilting move for Milwaukee. The small market excuse, as much as it even matters, is not relevant for the Brewers on the level they are at and trying to compete on.