Brewers should trade Carlos Gomez this week
After a terrible start to the season, the Milwaukee Brewers were expected to be big sellers. That no longer appears as likely.
Sure, they dealt third baseman Aramis Ramirez to the Pirates, and outfielder Gerardo Parra will find a new home soon enough. But both are obvious trade candidates with expiring contracts.
It appears the Brewers aren’t yet ready to give up on 2016.
If the Brewers intended to embark on a full rebuild, they’d recognize the unlikelihood of contending in 2016, and therefore, the lack of value in holding onto a player that will leave after next season. Even with his team-friendly contract, Carlos Gomez is worth more to the Brewers long term in a trade than in their lineup.
Instead, the Brewers appear unlikely to trade the center fielder unless they’re “blown away” by an offer.
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The Brewers should absolutely hold out for the best possible deal in their situation. The market for hitters appears strong and Gomez is one of the best available. There’s little to gain by pulling the trigger before they’re sure they’ve gotten the best deal.
But there is plenty to gain by trading Gomez now rather than waiting until the offseason.
With his combination of speed, power and defense, Gomez would be a significant upgrade for a number of contenders. A team acquiring the 29-year-old now could plug Gomez into their lineup for the 2015 pennant race as well as all of next season.
Waiting until the offseason could change that market, while also reducing the Brewers’ potential return. Injury and performance concerns can’t be ruled out, and if Gomez is affected by either, it could lower his value.
Considering the Brewers are at least a couple of years from seriously contending, there’s little reason not to capitalize now. Interest is high, and not just among contenders.
The Brewers may not be blown away by any offers this week, but they’ll get some good ones. Send Gomez to the highest bidder.
Playoffs
The Brewers entered Wednesday’s game with 0.1 percent playoff odds, according to Fangraphs, and 72 projected wins. In their season-to-date stats model, the Brewers’ odds jump up to 1.3 percent, with a projected win total of 73.
Baseball Prospectus puts Milwaukee’s chances at 0.1 percent with 73 projected wins.
Stat of the week
13-10: The Brewers’ record in July, which will be their first month with a winning record since June 2014.
Power rankings
They’ve cooled off, but the Brewers moved up to 27th in ESPN’s rankings, while remaining 29th on USA TODAY’s list.
They said it
• Wily Peralta on his first start in more than two months: “When I’m commanding my pitches, I know I’m going to have a great game. It doesn’t matter what team it is.”
• Brewers manager Craig Counsell on the team’s recent lack of offense: “We just haven’t been able to keep the line moving the last couple of days. We’re in a little bit of a drought here, but I’m confident we’ll score runs.”
• Aramis Ramirez on returning to the Pirates: “I’ve never been to the World Series. It would be great to go with the Pirates to end my career.”
— Quotes via Associated Press
Top tweets
Squared up
What’s Brewing
• With the return of Wily Peralta, the Brewers’ rotation features four homegrown starters.
• Francisco Rodriguez is on the Astros’ radar for potential bullpen help.
• A look at past trades suggests the Brewers are unlikely to make many more this year.
— jschelling@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @jordanschelling.