Say what you will about Wisconsin sports teams and recent failures, but winning trades is one thing all Wisconsin sports teams excel at all the time. For years, the Milwaukee Brewers had David Stearns at the helm as president of baseball operations, and he had a knack for coming out on top in all MLB trades he was a part of.
Looking at wins above replacement (WAR) for all MLB teams this season obtained from players through MLB trades, there is Milwaukee, and then everybody else.
Milwaukee Brewers: Masters of MLB Trades
According to analysis in an MLB trades article on FlurrySports, the Milwaukee Brewers have the most WAR from players acquired via trade in the MLB by a wide margin. The Brewers have a combined 28.8 WAR this year, with the second-place Atlanta Braves sitting at just 20 WAR.
While Christian Yelich is certainly not the same caliber player he was in his MVP-level seasons from 2018-19, his value since the Brewers acquired him from the Miami Marlins is undeniable. On his own, Yelich was responsible for 24.6 WAR in the trade with the Marlins, who dealt him with four years of control.
The Marlins acquired outfielders Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison, infielder Isan Diaz and pitcher Jordan Yamamoto. At the time of the publication, Brinson is playing in Japan, Isan Diaz is on the San Francisco Giants, Jordan Yamamoto retired, and Monte Harrison is back with the Brewers in the minor leagues.
For as much flak as Yelich gets for his inflated contract and lowered production, there is no doubt that the Brewers continue to win the trade to this day and will up until Yelich’s last game as a Brewer. Although deals like this are rare for most teams, it’s somewhat commonplace for the Brewers.
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History of Successful Milwaukee Brewers Trades
One of the most notable Milwaukee Brewers trades still has an impact on the Brewers to this day. I’m of course talking about the infamous J.J. Hardy trade. Just look at the pieces the Brewers got in return below and how much each has contributed to Brewers’ history over the past decade.
The best part about this graphic: it’s not even done yet. Remember, the Brewers packaged Esteury Diaz to secure the talents of current 26-year-old catcher William Contreras, who is still under control for four more years as well and is coming off of an All-Star season with the Atlanta Braves.
While the Brewers are currently in a bad slump with injuries running rampant, it’s important to remember that as long as the Brewers have Matt Arnold (understudy of David Stearns) in the front office, they’ll be in good shape for many years to come. And who knows, maybe the Brewers have another trade trick up their sleeves this year as well?
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