Ryan Braun could potentially be moved before the MLB trade deadline on August 1, and one MLB scout indicates it could happen sooner, rather than later.
“He’s the hot name out there,” said one National League scout, per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
We’ve been touting Braun, who just signed a huge five-year extension worth $105 million, as a guy who will be moved this season for some time now.
While he’s currently battling a neck injury that’s kept him out of the lineup for the Milwaukee Brewers the last three games, Braun is having a fantastic campaign. With an average of .351 and solid power numbers (nine home runs, 30 RBI), he’s one of the top bats in the National League.
Meanwhile, while the Brewers have been winning of late, they are slumping badly with an overall record of 23-37. This is a team in rebuilding mode that could use some new pieces to continue the process — pieces they could acquire in a trade with a contender for Braun.
On that note, per Cafardo, “the scout thought the Astros, Cardinals, Red Sox, Phillies, Mets, Giants, and White Sox were good fits” for the outfielder.