The Milwaukee Brewers have continually hit a wall in the National League Playoffs. Last season, they went 95-67 and lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Divisional Round, 3-1. It was just another disappointing postseason for manager Craig Counsell’s club.
This team is loaded on the pitching front and has plenty of talented and productive everyday position players. At the same time, it hasn’t been enough. More needs to be done for this team to break through.
Here are two players the Milwaukee Brewers should sign after the MLB lockout.
Drew Smyly gives the Milwaukee Brewers pitching versatility
Milwaukee had quite possibly the best pitching staff in baseball last season from top to bottom, but any unit can use improvement. Smyly would be as such for the Brewers.
The combination of 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Adrian Houser and Eric Lauer all posted individual ERAs no higher than 3.22. That’s incredible. Meanwhile, the Brewers traditionally have a high-octane bullpen. Smyly can be an in-between arm for this pitching staff.
The southpaw has found success as both a reliever and starter while possessing a three-pitch arsenal (fastball, curveball and cutter). This past season, Smyly was a consistent member of the Braves’ starting rotation, where he held his own for a team that went on to win the World Series.
- Drew Smyly stats (2021): 4.48 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 117 strikeouts across 126.2 innings (29 appearances, 23 starts)
Josh Hader, Devin Williams, Brent Suter and others make for an elite bullpen. That said, having someone who can serve as a long reliever and eat up innings comes in handy. Smyly would assume that role to begin the season and could start in a pinch if a member of the starting rotation can’t take the hill.
Yes, the Brewers arguably had MLB’s best starting rotation last season. It’s unrealistic that all five of their starters will be as electric and dominant as they were last season again in 2022, though. In other words, Smyly gives them a proven commodity to have on standby if someone collapses and/or disappoints in the starting five.
Smyly represents a versatile and pragmatic way for the Brewers to improve their pitching staff.
Related: 2 players Boston Red Sox should sign after MLB lockout
Milwaukee Brewers hit grand slam with Freddie Freeman
Milwaukee scored a combined six runs in its first-round playoff series against the Braves. That fact in and of itself is merit for the Brewers to make a blockbuster transaction, and that’s signing Freddie Freeman.
The 32-year-old Freeman began and remains the best player on the MLB free agent market. He’s the best first baseman the sport has to offer. Freeman is a vacuum at the corner infield position. He would beef up an already sturdy defensive infield which includes Willy Adames, Luis Urias and Kolten Wong.
- Freddie Freeman stats (2021): .300/.393/.503, 31 home runs and 83 RBIs across 600 at-bats
Milwaukee’s continued offensive shortcomings are the primary reason for backing up the truck for Freeman. He’s a force to be reckoned with at the plate. Freeman frequently puts the ball in play, is difficult to strike out, a lethal power threat and a waking model of consistency.
Freeman becomes the Brewers’ best hitter and helps make up for Christian Yelich’s offensive decline. The former makes a suspect offense with upside (Urias, Adames and Tyrone Taylor are still in the early stages of their respective MLB careers) a top-10 unit. If Yelich gets back on track, that’s an added bonus.
The Brewers are trying to win the World Series. Their pitching staff couldn’t have been asked to do any more than it did in 2021 in both the regular season and postseason. Milwaukee hasn’t won the NL because it’s not coming through with timely hits and generating offense.
Signing Freeman is the Brewers’ best chance of overcoming that obstacle and holding up the Commissioner’s Trophy.