MLB trade grades: Brewers get rotation reinforcements they desperately need

The Milwaukee Brewers added some depth at a position they desperately need it in the early AM on Wednesday thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays, a team selling off assets at the deadline. Tampa Bay is out of the AL East and AL Wild Card races already.

While the Rays are typically seen as a saving grace for struggling starting pitcher, there is one right-hander they couldn't fix in Aaron Civale. With the Cleveland Guardians, Civale was a fringe All-Star back in Cleveland, but he struggled to regain his form with the Tampa Bay Rays to the tune of a 5.07 ERA in 2024, which is his first full season in Florida.

Brandon Woodruff, Robert Gasser, Joe Ross and DL Hall are all on the 60-day injured list. Milwaukee traded for Dallas Keuchel in hopes of filling one of their rotation spots, now they have added a starter with pedigree as a stopgap for another.

MLB trade grades: Brewers add Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays

The Brewers have already used 15 different starting pitchers this season. Civale and Keuchel alone will not solve their rotation problems, but if Pat Murphy's team is expected to make any sort of playoff run atop the NL Central, more stable starting pitching is an absolute must.

Civale is just a year removed from having a successful season in Cleveland/Tampa, when over 23 starts he had a 3.46 ERA. He struggled post-trade, but the Brewers have a habit of putting the pieces back together for veterans who perhaps just need a tweak or two.

What Brewers prospect did the Rays land in Aaron Civale trade?

In return, the Rays will receive shortstop prospect Gregory Barrios. Barrios is the Brewers 22nd-ranked prospect, and is just 20 years old playing A-ball in Milwaukee's system. Barrios was signed out of Venezuela in the same class that landed countryman Jackson Chourio.

On paper, he is a sound defensive shortstop who needs to improve his bat to become a reliable major-league player at the position. Barrios offers little power, but doesn't strike out nearly as often as his A-ball teammates and is reliable enough to put the ball in play, where he offers above-average speed.

Who won the trade, Brewers or Rays?

We have to give the Brewers the edge in this trade, only because they receive surefire major-league talent, while the Rays are taking a chance on a lottery ticket. Milwaukee has a reputation as pitching fixers, and if they can do so with Civale will only advance that viewpoint for future free agents.

It helps Milwaukee's case that Civale is just over a year removed from add a stable force to the Cleveland rotation, and he has postseason experience. He's also signed through 2025, so if Civale can right the ship with the Brewers, Matt Arnold has some flexibility to pencil him into the 2025 rotation as well.

The biggest loser of this trade is the Rays, as if Civale had a better start to the season, they'd be asking for much, much more than one top-30 prospect for a player with 1.5 years of control.

Tampa Bay Rays trade grade: C

Milwaukee Brewers trade grade: B+