The Milwaukee Brewers clinched their fourth-straight NL Central crown on Tuesday, the first time in the division's history that a team has accomplished that feat. Milwaukee has plenty to celebrate, and in year three under Pat Murphy, they're in a better spot by miles than when Craig Counsell left.
Flaws are tough to find on the Brewers' roster. Trust me, I just went through it, top to bottom. The Brewers have one of the top bullpen ERAs in baseball. The rotation is headlined by Jacob Misiorowski, the likely NL Cy Young winner. And Milwaukee's lineup, while lacking much star power outside of Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio, has scored the second-most runs in baseball behind the Chicago Cubs.
Despite an impressive regular season that could result in more than 100 games won, not every player currently along for the journey should make the postseason roster. With the Brewers, we're cherry-picking, but such is the job of any front office. Matt Arnold has his hands full.
Bo Naylor isn't needed on the Brewers roster
Naylor has played 348 career games in the major leagues. He has a career batting average of .200 — quite literally the Mendoza line. Naylor is the very definition of what's unacceptable for any MLB hitter, and he hasn't been much better since joining the Brewers. Naylor was a trade deadline addition, alongside Codi Heuer, and added depth at catcher for Milwaukee. One could argue they don't really need that depth, though, as William Contreras and Gary Sanchez make an excellent 1-2 duo behind home plate. A third catcher can be an important add for any postseason roster, but not unless one of Contreras or Sanchez suffers an unexpected injury. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Garrett Stallings is best saved for spring training
Stalling has just five games under his belt and has been a late-season boon for the Brewers bullpen. As if Milwaukee's 'pen needed any more help, Stallings hasn't given up a run and even has a save to his name. Still, on an expanded roster that should hopefully include some returning pitchers currently on the injured list, Stallings isn't really needed. The good news for the 29-year-old, though, is that he deserves a look in spring training, and will likely get one in Milwaukee or elsewhere.
Dustin May made sense at the trade deadline, but not now
A rare Cardinals-Brewers interdivision trade shook midwestern sports talk airwaves at the deadline, with Dustin May heading to Milwaukee. At the time, the Brewers rotation needed some reinforcements, especially due to in-season injuries to Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester. There's a chance May makes the postseason roster and pitches out of the bullpen — long-inning relief can be especially valuable in such intense matchups — but he also has a 4.91 ERA in seven starts with the Brewers.
There are some serious questions about this rotation behind Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson, I will admit, but if the Brewers have to choose between May, Robert Gasser, Kyle Harrison and Shane Grohan, my money is on one of the latter.
Add us as a preferred source on Google